Can you believe what’s happening with the Kennedy Center these days? The iconic performing arts venue in Washington, D.C.—you know, the one built as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy after his assassination—has just been renamed the “Trump-Kennedy Center.”
It all went down recently when the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, announced that the board voted unanimously to add Trump’s name. They credited him with turning things around: fixing structural problems, sorting out finances, and boosting its reputation. Trump himself called it an honor and kept saying, “We’re saving the building.”
This comes after he took charge early in his second term, appointing himself chairman, shaking up the leadership to remove what he saw as overly progressive elements, and bringing in a new board of supporters. There was even talk earlier this year about legislation to fully rename it after him, highlighting his time on TV with The Apprentice and cameos in movies. Plus, they floated naming the Opera House after Melania TrumpOf course, not everyone’s thrilled.
JFK’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg, fired back on social media, pointing out that federal law supposedly protects the name and prevents changes like this. He shared the actual statute and argued it’s illegal, saying Trump’s move is more about ego than anything else—art and legacy endure no matter what.
Other Kennedy family members have chimed in too, calling it weird or vowing to fight it. But the change seems to be sticking for now, with the logo updated and everything.
Trump even hosted the Kennedy Center Honors just a couple weeks ago, honoring folks like Sylvester Stallone and George Strait—the first sitting president to do so.
It’s a wild mix of politics, history, and showbiz clashing right there on the Potomac. The place opened back in 1971, always tied to JFK’s love for the arts as something that lifts the human spirit. Now it’s got this new twist—who knows how long it’ll last?