Kennedy Center Votes for Significant Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Center, As Stated by Administration Statement.
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The board of trustees of the iconic performing arts venue has approved a measure to change its name the Trump-Kennedy Center, per an announcement by the White House.
Press Secretary 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 rescuing 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 continued.
The planned renaming is shaping up as deeply divisive, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has been an architectural and cultural icon since its founding and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Institution
Shortly after assuming the presidency, President Donald Trump replaced all the center's existing board members and named allies in their place. The freshly appointed board later moved to elect Trump chairman.
The president helped procure approximately $257 million in appropriated money to cover major renovations and associated costs at the national venue.
Inception
The idea for a Washington-based performing arts center originated in the 1950s. Following the assassination 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. More details will be provided shortly.
