Kennedy Center Votes for Significant Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Center, Per White House Statement.
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The leadership board of the prestigious performing arts venue has voted to change its name the Trump-Kennedy Center, per an announcement by the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt declared online that the board's approval was consensus, citing "the extraordinary job 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 achieve new levels of prestige and accomplishment," Leavitt noted.
The proposed move is likely to prove deeply divisive, particularly in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an beloved institution since its construction and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Background of the Institution
Not long after taking office, President Donald Trump dismissed all the center's sitting board members and appointed loyalists in their place. The newly constituted board then voted to name Trump the chairman.
The president helped procure approximately $257 million in federal funds to finance major renovations and other financial needs at the national venue.
Historical Roots
The vision for a national 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 christened the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
This report is being updated. Further context will be provided shortly.
