Trump’s Name Added to Kennedy Center Amidst Outcry and Legal Questions
A decision to rename the iconic Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts—adding the name of former President Donald Trump—has sparked immediate backlash from lawmakers and members of the Kennedy family, raising significant legal questions about the future of the Washington, D.C. landmark. The move, approved by the Kennedy Center’s board on Thursday, began to manifest physically on Friday with workers observed installing new signage.
The Kennedy Center’s board voted to add Trump’s name to the arts center, according to a spokeswoman for the D.C. cultural institution and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Crews were seen covering an exterior wall with blue tarps, obscuring the installation of letters spelling “The Donald” above the existing “The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts” sign. The center’s website logo was also updated to reflect the change, now reading “The Trump Kennedy Center.”
Former President Trump expressed his gratitude for the board’s decision. “Well, I was honored,” Trump said. “The board is a very distinguished board. Most distinguished people in the country.” Leavitt further stated that the proposed name change is intended to recognize Trump’s contributions to the institution.
However, the swiftness and perceived lack of transparency surrounding the vote have ignited controversy. Representative Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio member of the board, publicly disputed claims of a unanimous decision. “For the record. This was not unanimous. I was muted on the call and not allowed to speak or voice my opposition to this move,” Beatty wrote in a post on X.
The Kennedy family has also voiced strong opposition. Maria Shriver, niece of the late President Kennedy, described the move as “downright weird” in a statement on X. Jack Schlossberg, President Kennedy’s grandson and a current congressional candidate in New York, echoed this sentiment, stating, “My grandparents would be mortified, and rightfully so.” Former Representative Joseph Kennedy III, a grandnephew of the former president, emphasized the legal complexities, asserting, “The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law. It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial, no matter what anyone says.”
Changing the name of the Kennedy Center is not a simple undertaking. Any official renaming would require an act of Congress, and it remains uncertain whether the Senate could muster the necessary 60 votes for approval. Legal experts have pointed out that the original legislation establishing the Kennedy Center during the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations specifically prohibited renaming the building.
The current situation stems from a rapid series of changes initiated as Trump’s second term began. Within a month of taking office, he replaced the Kennedy Center’s leadership, appointed supporters to the board of trustees, and assumed the role of board chair. This swift consolidation of power paved the way for the recent vote.
Efforts to rename the Kennedy Center have been previously proposed by Republican lawmakers, but faced hurdles. Experts told NBC News in July that any attempt to alter the center’s name could encounter significant legal challenges. The unfolding events suggest a renewed push to overcome these obstacles, setting the stage for a potentially protracted legal and political battle over the future of this national cultural institution.
