John F. Kennedy Center Moves for Significant Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Performing Arts Center, According to Administration Announcement.
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The leadership board of the renowned performing arts venue has decided to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated on social media that the board's approval was consensus, attributing it to "the tremendous efforts President Trump has done over the last year in preserving the building."
"This promises to be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt achieve new levels of grandeur and success," Leavitt noted.
The planned renaming is expected to be extremely contentious, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an beloved institution since its founding and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Center
Not long after beginning his term, President Donald Trump dismissed all the center's sitting board members and installed loyalists in their positions. The freshly appointed board subsequently voted to appoint Trump as chairman.
The president helped procure approximately $257 million in congressional funding to finance extensive repairs and other financial needs at the historic venue.
Historical Roots
The concept for a federal performing arts center was first proposed in the 1950s. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the planned venue was dedicated to his memory.
This report is being updated. More details will be provided shortly.
