John F. Kennedy Center Moves for Significant Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Performing Arts Center, According to White House Statement.
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The board of trustees of the renowned performing arts venue has decided to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt declared online that the board's vote was unified, attributing it to "the extraordinary job President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building."
"This is destined to be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur," Leavitt added.
The planned renaming is shaping up as deeply divisive, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has served as an iconic landmark since its founding and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Background of the Institution
Not long after beginning his term, President Donald Trump fired all the center's existing board members and installed loyalists in their stead. The newly constituted board subsequently voted to elect Trump chairman.
The president helped procure approximately $257 million in appropriated money to pay for major renovations and other financial needs at the historic venue.
Historical Roots
The vision for a Washington-based performing arts center began 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.
Further details are emerging. More details will be published soon.
