Kennedy Center Votes for Major Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Center, According to Administration Announcement.
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The board of trustees of the renowned performing arts venue has voted to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt announced via a post that the board's vote was unified, crediting "the tremendous efforts President Trump has done over the last year in rescuing the building."
"This promises to be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt achieve new levels of success and grandeur," Leavitt continued.
The proposed move is shaping up as highly controversial, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has been an beloved institution since its founding and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Institution
Not long after assuming the presidency, President Donald Trump replaced all the center's existing board members and named allies in their place. The reconstituted board later moved to name Trump the chairman.
The president later secured approximately $257 million in congressional funding to pay for major renovations and associated costs at the historic venue.
Historical Roots
The idea for a Washington-based performing arts center began in the 1950s. Following the murder of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the then-under-construction venue was dedicated to his memory.
This report is being updated. Further context will be added as it becomes available.
