Kennedy Center Moves for Controversial Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Performing Arts Center, According to White House Announcement.
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The leadership board of the renowned performing arts venue has voted 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 approval was consensus, attributing it to "the extraordinary job President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building."
"This promises to be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt reach new levels of grandeur and success," Leavitt noted.
The planned renaming is likely to prove deeply divisive, especially in Washington, D.C., where the center has been an architectural and cultural icon since its completion and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Context of the Venue
Soon after taking office, President Donald Trump fired all the center's sitting board members and installed loyalists in their place. The freshly appointed board then voted to appoint Trump as chairman.
The president later secured approximately $257 million in appropriated money to pay for extensive repairs and other financial needs at the historic venue.
Historical Roots
The idea for a federal performing arts center began in the 1950s. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the future venue was dedicated to his memory.
This report is being updated. Additional information will be provided shortly.
