In a surprising twist, President Donald Trump’s handpicked board voted to rename the legendary Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington to the ‘Trump-Kennedy Center.’ This news was revealed by the White House on Thursday.
According to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the name change was prompted by what she called “the unbelievable work President Trump has accomplished over the past year, not just in terms of refurbishing the building, but also restoring its financial standing and reputation.”
Trump, who chairs this board, has previously called the Kennedy Center the ‘Trump Kennedy Center’, invoking its past association with former President John F. Kennedy, a figure from the opposing political party.
When he was questioned during the Kennedy Center Honors event about renaming the venue after himself, Trump remarked that the decision was ultimately up to the board.
Earlier this month, during a speech where he referenced an upcoming significant event at the “Trump Kennedy Center,” he quickly corrected himself with a laugh, referring to it simply as the Kennedy Center. This was in the context of the FIFA World Cup soccer draw for 2026, in which he was involved.
Not everyone is on board with this rebranding; some members of the Kennedy family have voiced their displeasure. Maria Shriver, John F. Kennedy’s niece, labeled legislative attempts to concurrently rename the venue to the Donald J. Trump Center for the Performing Arts as “insane” in a Twitter post back in July. She expressed her outrage, stating, “It makes my blood boil. It’s absurd, so petty, so small-minded. What’s next?”
Earlier in the year, Trump made headlines when he transformed the historic Rose Garden at the White House into a paved patio, removing the grass entirely.
Interestingly, one member of the Kennedy family, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is part of Trump’s Cabinet, serving as the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
