Kennedy Center Set for Significant Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Center, According to Administration Announcement.
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The board of trustees of the prestigious performing arts venue has voted to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt announced via a post that the board's decision was unanimous, citing "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 noted.
The planned renaming is likely to prove highly controversial, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has been an architectural and cultural icon since its construction and dedication for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Venue
Not long after taking office, President Donald Trump replaced all the center's incumbent trustees and appointed allies in their place. The newly constituted board later moved to name Trump the chairman.
The president helped procure approximately $257 million in congressional funding to pay for major renovations and associated costs at the aging venue.
Inception
The vision for a federal performing arts center began in the 1950s. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the then-under-construction venue was dedicated to his memory.
This report is being updated. Further context will be provided shortly.
