Following a decisive vote on Thursday, the performing arts institution previously known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has undergone a significant name change. Center spokesperson Roma Daravi confirmed in an official announcement that the Board of Trustees reached a unanimous decision to rename the facility.
The new designation will be "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts," according to the statement released after the board meeting.
"The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees voted unanimously today to name the institution The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts," Daravi declared.
She added, "The new Trump Kennedy Center reflects the unequivocal bipartisan support for America's cultural center for generations to come."
Questions have emerged regarding whether congressional authorization was obtained or necessary for this alteration, though the Center has not addressed these inquiries.
Later that same day, during an Oval Office gathering, Trump expressed his reaction to the board's action. "This was brought up by one of the distinguished board members, and they voted on it. There are a lot of board members, and they voted unanimously," he noted, describing himself as both "honored" and "surprised."
White House representative Karoline Leavitt celebrated the development on social media, writing, "Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future!"
Rapid Implementation
By Thursday evening, the center's online presence already displayed the updated name as "The Trump Kennedy Center." Physical modifications to include Trump's name at the arts venue commenced the following day.
Trump commented on the institution's condition, stating, "We saved the building. The building was in such bad shape, both physically and financially, and in every other way."
The former president has frequently used the term "Trump Kennedy Center" in a lighthearted manner during public appearances. He repeated this reference earlier this month while hosting the annual Kennedy Center Honors ceremony from the stage.
This represents another occasion where Trump's name has been attached to Washington buildings. His administration recently added his name to the United States Institute of Peace facility located near the White House.
Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty, who serves as an ex-officio board member, disputed the characterization of the vote as unanimous. "For the record, this was not unanimous. I was muted on the call and was not allowed to speak," she posted on social media.
Beatty, along with other ex officio members including Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, asserted that participants were silenced during the proceedings. These members hold their positions through government roles established by congressional legislation.
In a joint statement, they argued, "Beyond using the Kennedy Center to reward his friends and political allies, President Trump is now trying to affix his name to yet another public institution without legal authority. Federal law established the Center as a memorial to President Kennedy and prohibits changing its name without Congressional action."
The performing arts center was formally designated as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy just two months after his death. This status was established through congressional legislation signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on January 23, 1964, recognizing the National Cultural Center as a living memorial honoring Kennedy's dedication to advancing performing arts in America.
