A proposal to rename the Kennedy Center as the “Trump-Kennedy Center” has ignited backlash across social media.
On Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Kennedy Center’s board had voted unanimously in favor of the change, though at least one board member challenged that claim.
“Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation,” Leavitt wrote. “Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur.”
Public figures quickly condemned the idea. Tennessee Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen called the proposed rename a “sacrilege,” arguing it would diminish the legacy of President John F. Kennedy.
Why It Matters
The Kennedy Center was built and named to honor President John F. Kennedy after his assassination in 1963. Any effort to alter its name would be highly contentious—especially among Democrats and others who view the institution as a protected part of Kennedy’s legacy—while also potentially bolstering President Donald Trump’s imprint on Washington, D.C.
What To Know
The proposal follows a shakeup of the Kennedy Center’s governance early in Trump’s term. After taking office, Trump removed existing board members and replaced them with allies, who then voted to make him chairman. The administration later secured roughly $257 million in funding to renovate the venue.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and second lady Usha Vance were among board members who supported the rename. Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, who also serves on the board, said she was muted during the call and was not allowed to speak.
Cohen criticized the proposal in a post on X: “Renaming the Kennedy Center for Trump would be a sacrilege. JFK was a martyred, historic US president whose name is synonymous with artistic excellence in America. The idea that Trump would put his name BEFORE Kennedy’s—or even alongside it—is obscene. The Kennedy Center should never be renamed.”
Joe Kennedy III, the late president’s grandnephew and a former member of Congress, also objected, writing that the Kennedy Center is a living memorial named for Kennedy by federal law, adding that it could not be renamed any more than the Lincoln Memorial could be renamed “no matter what anyone says.”
Kennedy’s niece Maria Shriver echoed that criticism, calling the move “beyond comprehension” and arguing that putting Trump’s name ahead of Kennedy’s was unacceptable. “This is not dignified,” she wrote. “This is not funny. This is way beneath the stature of the job. It’s downright weird. It’s obsessive in a weird way. Just when you think someone can’t stoop any lower, down they go…”
An account called Protect Kamala Harris, which has more than 113,000 followers, also weighed in, writing: “Congress named it the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and it will stay that name.”
Supporters of the rename praised the idea. Erika Donalds, the wife of Florida Republican Byron Donalds, argued that Trump revived the venue after years of decline, writing: “POTUS revived the Kennedy Center, rescuing it from financial ruin, physical decline, and reputational damage caused by years of Democrat mismanagement and liberal control. Renaming it the Trump-Kennedy Center is a well-deserved honor, one of many still to come!”
The debate comes as Trump has pursued other high-profile changes to historic symbols and institutions in Washington. He has also overseen renovations at the White House—moves that some back while others argue they risk damaging a landmark. In September, the administration also renamed the Department of Defense as the Department of War.
What People Are Saying
Cohen reiterated his objections during a speech in Congress: “The idea that Donald Trump would want his name to go before Kennedy’s or even with Kennedy’s is a sacrilege. It should not be changed, ever.”
What Happens Next
It remains unclear whether Trump has the legal authority to formally rename the building, which was commissioned by Congress.
