John F. Kennedy Center Set for Controversial Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Center, According to Administration Announcement.
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The board of trustees of the prestigious performing arts venue has decided to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt declared online that the board's approval was consensus, 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 reach new levels of grandeur and success," Leavitt noted.
The planned renaming is shaping up as deeply divisive, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has been an architectural and cultural icon since its founding and dedication for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Institution
Not long after beginning his term, President Donald Trump replaced all the center's sitting board members and installed supporters in their positions. The freshly appointed board then voted to elect Trump chairman.
The president later secured approximately $257 million in federal funds to cover major renovations and associated costs at the aging venue.
Original Concept
The concept for a national performing arts center began in the 1950s. Following the murder of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the future venue was dedicated to his memory.
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