Kennedy Center renamed the 'Trump-Kennedy Center,' White House says

WASHINGTON ‒ The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington is now known as the the "Trump-Kennedy Center," according to the White House.

The Kennedy Center's board of trustees voted unanimously on Dec. 18 to rename the national music, arts and cultural institution after President Donald Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. The board, which Trump chairs, is made up of mostly members handpicked by the president.

The full name is The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Roma Daravi, the center's vice president of public relations, told USA TODAY.

Yet an official name change appears to require action from Congress. A law passed in 1964, months after President John F. Kennedy's assassination, established the construction of "a building to be designated as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts." The law did not grant the board authority to change its name.

Leavitt said the board renamed the facility in Trump's honor "because of the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building. Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation."

"Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur," Leavitt said.

One month into his second term in office, Trump in February terminated the Kennedy Center's board and installed himself as the new chairman while tapping several political allies as new board members. Trump chose Ric Grenell, his envoy for special missions, as the center's president.

The Kennedy Center, which opened in 1971 in honor of the late 35th president of the United States, serves as the nation's arts and cultural center, offering a wide assortment of concerts, plays and other live acts to paying customers. The facility is owned by the federal government.

Trump has promised to transform the center with new upgrades, improve its financial standing, eliminate what he called "woke" programming and bring "Broadway hits" back to the center. Trump has claimed the center declined under "bad management" and characterized a $250 million expansion project before his second White House term as a waste.

"I was surprised by it, and I was honored by it," Trump said on Dec. 18 from the Oval Office when asked about the board's name change. "We saved the building. That building was in such bad shape, both physically and financially and every other way. Now it's very solid, very strong.

"We saved the Kennedy Center," the president added.

Democrat on Kennedy board disputes 'unanimous' vote

Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, one of the board's ex officio members not appointed by Trump, disputed Leavitt's claim of a "unanimous" vote. In a video posted on X, Beatty said she was not allowed to speak during the board's meeting, which was conducted by phone, as members voted on the name change.

"As I tried to push my button to voice my concern to ask questions ‒ and to certainly not to vote in support of this ‒ I was muted," Beatty said. "Each time I tried to speak, I was muted."

Referencing the 1964 federal law, Beatty said, "Clearly, the Congress has a say in this," calling the name change "just another attempt to evade the law and not let the people have a say."

Other Democrats also slammed the move. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, called the board's name change "outrageous" and said it "must be repealed."

"The Kennedy Center was named for President John F. Kennedy, a martyred hero and patron of the arts," Cohen said. "To slap Trump’s shiny name on the iconic structure is a sacrilege, an insult to his memory and an offense to the American people. What’s next, the Trump Washington Monument? The Trump Lincoln Memorial?”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, in a statement said: "At a time when costs are at an all-time high and Americans are paying more and getting less, Trump proves once again that he cares about his ego ‒ not your family."

Trump secured $257 million for Kennedy Center upgrades in his "One Big Beautiful Bill" law approved by Congress last summer. About 16% of the Kennedy Center's annual $268 million operating budget comes from the federal government, with the rest coming through private donations.

During his first year back in the White House, Trump has frequented the center more often than in his first term.

Trump attended a performance of "Les Misérables" at the Kennedy Center in June, igniting both boos and cheers from the crowd. He opened the Kennedy Center on Dec. 5 for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Draw. And after skipping the annual Kennedy Honors during his first term, Trump on Dec. 7 hosted the star-studded event from the Oval Office.

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.