Kennedy Center Moves for Major Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Center, According to Administration Statement.
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The governing board of the renowned performing arts venue has decided to adopt a new name 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 unbelievable work 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 reach new levels of grandeur and success," Leavitt added.
The intended name change is shaping up as extremely contentious, particularly in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an iconic landmark since its founding and christening for President John F. Kennedy.
Background of the Institution
Soon after assuming the presidency, President Donald Trump fired all the center's existing board members and installed allies in their stead. The reconstituted board then voted to name Trump the chairman.
The president helped procure approximately $257 million in appropriated money to cover major renovations and associated costs at the aging venue.
Inception
The idea for a federal performing arts center was first proposed in the 1950s. Following the murder of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the then-under-construction venue was dedicated to his memory.
This report is being updated. Additional information will be published soon.
