Kennedy Center Votes for Major Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Performing Arts Center, According to White House Statement.
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The leadership board of the renowned 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 vote was unified, attributing it to "the tremendous efforts 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 success and grandeur," Leavitt continued.
The planned renaming is shaping up as deeply divisive, especially in Washington, D.C., where the center has served as an architectural and cultural icon since its construction and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Background of the Center
Not long after beginning his term, President Donald Trump replaced all the center's incumbent trustees and named loyalists in their place. The reconstituted board then voted to appoint Trump as chairman.
The president helped procure approximately $257 million in congressional funding to pay for significant upgrades and operational expenses at the national venue.
Historical Roots
The vision for a federal performing arts center originated in the 1950s. Following the murder of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the future venue was christened the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
This report is being updated. Further context will be provided shortly.
