Kennedy Center Set for Major Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Performing Arts Center, According to White House Announcement.
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The board of trustees of the iconic performing arts venue has voted to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on social media that the board's vote was unified, crediting "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 success and grandeur," Leavitt added.
The planned renaming is likely to prove deeply divisive, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an beloved institution since its construction and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Institution
Soon after beginning his term, President Donald Trump fired all the center's existing board members and installed loyalists in their stead. The freshly appointed board subsequently voted to name Trump the chairman.
The president was instrumental in securing approximately $257 million in federal funds to pay for significant upgrades and operational expenses at the national venue.
Original Concept
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 planned venue was named in his honor.
This is a developing story. Additional information will be published soon.
