Trump Shows Off Potential Marble Armrests for Renamed Kennedy Center: ‘Unlike Anything Ever Seen or Done Before’

President Donald Trump has offered a glimpse at potential renovations planned for what he has called “The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.”

In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Dec. 26, Trump, 79, shared photos of several white marble samples and said they were being considered as armrests for seating at the performing arts venue in Washington, D.C.

“Potential Marble armrests for the seating at The Trump Kennedy Center,” he wrote. “Unlike anything ever done or seen before!”

The post comes amid broader changes at the Kennedy Center following Trump’s return to office. After taking office, Trump moved to take control of the institution’s leadership by reshaping the board and installing new appointees, and the board then named him chairman of the organization. The Kennedy Center was dedicated in 1964 as a “living memorial” to President John F. Kennedy.

At the time, Trump said he wanted to ensure the center “runs properly,” adding that he did not want “woke” programming there and criticizing some past shows.

Photos taken outside the venue showed signage changes on Dec. 19, with work crews adding “The Donald Trump and” above the existing exterior lettering that previously read “The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the day before that the board had “voted unanimously” to rename the building the “Trump-Kennedy Center.” Critics, however, have argued that because the Kennedy Center was established by an act of Congress, only Congress can formally change its name.

Even so, the center quickly updated its branding online to reflect “The Trump Kennedy Center,” and Trump’s name was subsequently added to the exterior signage.

Leavitt reiterated in a Dec. 18 statement that the board’s vote was unanimous. But Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty—an ex officio member of the board with voting privileges—alleged she was prevented from voicing objections during the call.

“Be clear: I was on that call, and as I tried to push my button to voice my concern, to ask questions and certainly not to vote in support of this, I was muted,” Beatty said in a video shared via X on Dec. 18. She added that online participants were not allowed to raise concerns, despite the outcome being described as unanimous.

Several members of Kennedy’s family have also criticized the effort, including grandson Jack Schlossberg, grandnephew Joe Kennedy III, and nieces Maria Shriver and Kerry Kennedy.

Schlossberg argued on social media over the summer that the move could conflict with federal law, citing language from a congressional act stating that “no additional memorials or plaques in the nature of memorials shall be designated or installed in the public areas of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.”