John F. Kennedy Center Set for Significant Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Center, According to Administration Statement.
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The board of trustees of the iconic performing arts venue has decided to adopt a new name the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced via a post that the board's decision was unanimous, crediting "the extraordinary job President Trump has done over the last year in preserving the building."
"This will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur," Leavitt noted.
The intended name change is expected to be highly controversial, particularly in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an beloved institution since its completion and christening for President John F. Kennedy.
Context of the Institution
Soon after beginning his term, President Donald Trump dismissed all the center's sitting board members and installed loyalists in their place. The newly constituted board subsequently voted to appoint Trump as chairman.
The president later secured approximately $257 million in congressional funding to finance significant upgrades and other financial needs at the national venue.
Historical Roots
The idea for a national performing arts center originated in the 1950s. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the then-under-construction venue was named in his honor.
Further details are emerging. Further context will be added as it becomes available.
