The board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has voted to change the institution’s name to the Trump Kennedy Center, according to officials from the cultural institution and the White House. However, the proposal faces major legal and political obstacles before it could become official.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the vote on Thursday, saying the move was intended to recognize President Donald Trump’s role in stabilizing the iconic Washington, D.C., venue. Trump welcomed the decision, calling the board “a very distinguished group” and praising what he described as improvements to the building’s condition and finances.
Despite the vote, any formal name change would require an act of Congress, and it remains unclear whether such legislation could secure the 60 votes needed in the Senate. Federal law originally established the Kennedy Center as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy, with provisions that restrict renaming the building.
Changes appeared quickly following the board’s action, with the Kennedy Center’s website briefly displaying the name “The Trump Kennedy Center.” However, no physical signage changes were observed at the venue.
While Kennedy Center spokeswoman Roma Daravi described the board’s vote as unanimous, Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) disputed that characterization. Beatty, an ex-officio board member, said she was muted during the meeting and prevented from voicing opposition.
“This was not unanimous,” Beatty wrote on social media, adding that she was unable to ask questions or register dissent. Daravi responded that all board members were invited to attend and that ex-officio members were allowed to listen, even if they did not have voting privileges.
The proposed renaming has drawn sharp criticism from members of the Kennedy family, who argue the center is a living memorial protected by law. Joseph Kennedy III, a grandnephew of the former president, said the building cannot be renamed any more than national monuments like the Lincoln Memorial. Timothy Shriver, another family member, echoed those concerns, calling the move an insult to President Kennedy’s legacy.
The controversy follows earlier Republican efforts in Congress to rename the center, including proposals to honor Trump or former First Lady Melania Trump. Legal experts have warned such efforts face steep constitutional and legislative barriers.
Trump has previously joked publicly about the idea of a “Trump Kennedy Center,” but acknowledged earlier this month that any decision would rest with the board and Congress.
For now, the proposed name change remains symbolic, with lawmakers, legal scholars and the Kennedy family signaling that turning it into law would be a difficult and divisive battle.