John F. Kennedy Center Set for Controversial Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Performing Arts Center, Per Administration Statement.
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The board of trustees of the iconic performing arts venue has decided to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, per an announcement by the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated on social media that the board's approval was consensus, attributing it to "the extraordinary job 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 noted.
The intended name change is shaping up as deeply divisive, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an beloved institution since its construction and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Center
Not long after beginning his term, President Donald Trump replaced all the center's sitting board members and appointed supporters in their place. The freshly appointed board later moved to appoint Trump as chairman.
The president later secured approximately $257 million in federal funds to pay for major renovations and other financial needs at the national venue.
Inception
The vision for a Washington-based performing arts center began in the 1950s. Following the tragic death of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the then-under-construction venue was christened the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
This is a developing story. More details will be added as it becomes available.
