WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move that has sent shockwaves through the American cultural and political landscape, the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted on December 18, 2025, to rename the institution. The new official moniker, as announced by the White House, is “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts,” which is frequently shortened in new branding to “Trump-Kennedy Center.”
A Rapid Transformation
Within twenty-four hours of the board’s vote, the transformation was physically visible. Workers on aerial lifts were seen on Friday, December 19, affixing large gold-toned lettering to the building’s marble facade. The institution’s website and social media accounts were also updated to reflect the rebranding, featuring a new logo that places the sitting president’s name alongside the 35th president.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the change recognizes the “unbelievable work” President Trump has done over the last year to “save” the building from financial and physical ruin. The board, which currently features several Trump appointees and is chaired by the President himself, reportedly reached the decision in a vote that the administration characterized as “unanimous.”
Legal and Familial Backlash
However, the renaming has met fierce resistance from legal experts, Democratic lawmakers, and the Kennedy family. Critics argue the board lacks the authority to alter the name, noting that the center was established as a living memorial to John F. Kennedy by a 1964 Act of Congress. “The Kennedy Center was named by law,” noted former House historian Ray Smock. “To change the name would require a revision of that law. The board is not a lawmaking entity.”
Representative Joyce Beatty (D-OH), an ex-officio board member, disputed the “unanimous” nature of the vote, claiming she was muted during the virtual meeting and prevented from voicing her opposition. Meanwhile, members of the Kennedy family expressed “disbelief” and “outrage.” Maria Shriver, a niece of JFK, called the move “petty” and “small-minded,” while Kerry Kennedy suggested she would personally seek to remove the letters once the administration’s term concluded.
As the gold letters now catch the light above the Potomac, the future of the name remains uncertain. Legal challenges are expected to follow, as constitutional scholars debate whether a board’s vote can override federal statutes.
Sources
- Playbill: Kennedy Center Board Votes to Rename Institution Trump-Kennedy Center
- AP News: The Kennedy Center has added Trump’s name to the memorial Congress created for John F. Kennedy
- CBS News: Kennedy Center adds Trump’s name to building
- AP News: Trump’s handpicked board votes to rename Washington performing arts center
- Washingtonian: Can Trump Actually Name the Kennedy Center After Himself?
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