Kennedy Center Set for Major Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Performing Arts Center, According to Administration Announcement.
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The board of trustees of the prestigious performing arts venue has approved a measure to adopt a new name the Trump-Kennedy Center, as confirmed by the White House.
Press Secretary 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 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 intended name change is likely to prove deeply divisive, especially in Washington, D.C., where the center has served as an architectural and cultural icon since its founding and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Center
Soon after beginning his term, President Donald Trump dismissed all the center's sitting board members and installed allies in their place. The freshly appointed board subsequently voted to name Trump the chairman.
The president was instrumental in securing approximately $257 million in appropriated money to cover major renovations and operational expenses at the national venue.
Original Concept
The vision for a Washington-based performing arts center began in the 1950s. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the planned venue was christened the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
This report is being updated. More details will be added as it becomes available.
