White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the board voted unanimously on the name change.
WASHINGTON — The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts could soon be known as the Trump-Kennedy Center following a Thursday vote by the center’s board. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the vote to change the name was unanimous.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Leavitt said the change was due to President Donald Trump’s “unbelievable work” over the last year in “saving the building.”
While the board voted on the name change, it’s not a done deal yet. Congress must pass legislation in order to get the name changed.
The potential name change is just the latest change made under the Trump administration. The White House’s unveiling of a new Kennedy Center Honors medal sparked emotional reactions from the Baturin family, who designed the original award.
The Kennedy Center has been facing backlash and show cancellations since President Donald Trump installed himself as chairman, ousting its bipartisan Board of Trustees.
In a Truth Social post, Trump declared he would “make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN” by terminating the Board of Trustees and appointing himself as chairman. His decision led to the removal of key figures, including David Rubenstein, Deborah Rutter and members appointed by former President Joe Biden.
Dozens of shows have been canceled since Trump took over, but a spokesperson said the only reasons for the cancellations were low ticket sales and artist availability.