Kennedy Center Set for Controversial Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Center, According to Administration Announcement.
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The leadership board of the prestigious performing arts venue has voted to adopt a new name the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on social media that the board's approval was consensus, crediting "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 continued.
The planned renaming is shaping up as deeply divisive, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an iconic landmark since its completion and christening for President John F. Kennedy.
Background of the Institution
Not long after assuming the presidency, President Donald Trump fired all the center's sitting board members and installed allies in their stead. The freshly appointed board later moved to name Trump the chairman.
The president was instrumental in securing approximately $257 million in federal funds to finance major renovations and operational expenses at the historic venue.
Original Concept
The idea for a Washington-based performing arts center originated 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 report is being updated. Additional information will be added as it becomes available.
