John F. Kennedy Center Set for Significant Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Center, Per Administration Statement.
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The board of trustees of the prestigious performing arts venue has decided to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared online that the board's approval was consensus, attributing it to "the tremendous efforts President Trump has done over the last year in rescuing 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 intended name change is likely to prove highly controversial, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an architectural and cultural icon since its completion and christening for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Institution
Not long after taking office, President Donald Trump fired all the center's sitting board members and installed supporters in their positions. The reconstituted board later moved to appoint Trump as chairman.
The president was instrumental in securing approximately $257 million in appropriated money to cover major renovations and other financial needs at the aging venue.
Original Concept
The vision for a federal performing arts center originated in the 1950s. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the planned venue was dedicated to his memory.
Further details are emerging. Additional information will be added as it becomes available.
