Kennedy Center Set for Major Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Performing Arts Center, According to White House Statement.
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The board of trustees of the prestigious performing arts venue has voted to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, as confirmed by the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt announced via a post that the board's approval was consensus, attributing it to "the extraordinary job President Trump has done over the last year in preserving the building."
"This will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of grandeur and success," Leavitt noted.
The proposed move is expected to be extremely contentious, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has been an beloved institution since its completion and christening for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Institution
Not long after taking office, President Donald Trump fired all the center's existing board members and installed allies in their positions. The freshly appointed board later moved to appoint Trump as chairman.
The president was instrumental in securing approximately $257 million in federal funds to finance significant upgrades and other financial needs at the historic venue.
Original Concept
The concept for a national performing arts center originated in the 1950s. Following the tragic death of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the then-under-construction venue was named in his honor.
This report is being updated. Additional information will be published soon.
