Kennedy Center Moves for Controversial Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Center, According to Administration Statement.
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The leadership board of the prestigious performing arts venue has decided to adopt a new name the Trump-Kennedy Center, as confirmed by the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt declared online that the board's approval was consensus, crediting "the unbelievable work 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 planned renaming is likely to prove deeply divisive, especially in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an beloved institution since its founding and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Venue
Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump fired all the center's incumbent trustees and named allies in their positions. The reconstituted board then voted to name Trump the chairman.
The president helped procure approximately $257 million in federal funds to cover significant upgrades and associated costs at the aging venue.
Original Concept
The vision for a Washington-based performing arts center began 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.
This report is being updated. Additional information will be added as it becomes available.
