John F. Kennedy Center Set for Major Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Center, As Stated by White House Statement.
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The board of trustees of the iconic performing arts venue has approved a measure to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced via a post that the board's approval was consensus, attributing it to "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 reach new levels of prestige and accomplishment," Leavitt noted.
The planned renaming is likely to prove extremely contentious, especially in Washington, D.C., where the center has been an architectural and cultural icon since its construction and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Context of the Institution
Soon after beginning his term, President Donald Trump replaced all the center's existing board members and installed loyalists in their stead. The freshly appointed board then voted to name Trump the chairman.
The president helped procure approximately $257 million in appropriated money to finance extensive repairs and associated costs at the national venue.
Inception
The idea for a Washington-based performing arts center was first proposed in the 1950s. Following the murder of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the planned venue was named in his honor.
This report is being updated. Further context will be added as it becomes available.
