A new bill in Congress would bar any federal building, land, or other government asset from being renamed in honor of a sitting president.
Why It Matters
The proposal follows a stormy backlash to the decision to attach President Donald Trump’s name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The fight has revived a larger debate over who controls the names of national institutions and memorials—and how far a president and executive-aligned boards can go in reshaping public heritage without Congress.
What To Know
After the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees voted on December 18 to rename the venue “The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts,” lawmakers introduced legislation aimed at reversing the move—and preventing similar actions going forward.
Democratic Rep. April McClain Delaney of Maryland unveiled two measures. The first, the Kennedy Center Protection Act, would nullify the board’s vote and require Trump’s name to be removed from signage and branding. The second, the Federal Property Integrity Act, would create a broad prohibition against naming federal properties after sitting presidents.
McClain Delaney framed the bills as a defense of both national history and congressional authority over federal memorials.
In the Senate, Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said he plans to introduce a companion bill that would similarly prohibit federal buildings from being named after current presidents, arguing the practice invites self-glorification and politicization.
The Kennedy Center dispute has also fueled scrutiny of other Trump-related naming efforts—moves that critics argue reflect a pattern of converting public institutions into political symbols. Those actions have drawn legal challenges and fresh questions about the limits of executive influence over federally linked sites.
Some board members have criticized how the Kennedy Center vote unfolded. Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, for example, has described the process as lacking transparency and shutting out dissent as signage bearing Trump’s name was updated soon after the unanimous decision.
What People Are Saying
Rep. McClain Delaney said:
“Congress must stop the ‘Trump branding’ of our national treasures and memorials, particularly an institution which uplifts our national arts and commemorates the late President John F. Kennedy. And if it isn’t clear enough, my second bill will ensure that no other federal landmark can ever be named in honor of a sitting President. It’s past time that lawmakers drew a firm line to prevent these types of activities.”
She added:
“The Kennedy Center is a memorial to a fallen President. Changing the name of the Kennedy Center is a betrayal of President Kennedy’s legacy and an affront to the American people and our shared history.
“This legislation is about protecting Congress’s authority and preserving the integrity of our national monuments and treasures. Sadly, the President has politicized the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees. Congress cannot allow him to ‘brand’ the Kennedy Center, other historic landmarks or memorials or even nearby public golf courses. Trump’s obsessive fixation on self-promotion must end.”
Sanders wrote on X:
“What arrogance. What narcissism. I will be introducing legislation prohibiting the naming of federal buildings after sitting presidents.”
Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, said former President Kennedy “proudly stood for justice, peace, equality, dignity, diversity, and compassion for those who suffer.”
She added:
“President Trump stands in opposition to these values, and his name should not be placed alongside President Kennedy’s.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said:
“They don’t have the power to do it. Only Congress can rename the Kennedy Center. The wannabe king and his sycophantic minions can’t do it.”
Trump praised the renaming board as “the most distinguished people in the country” and said:
“We saved the building because it was in such bad shape, physically, financially, and in every other way, and now it’s very solid, very strong.”
What Happens Next
The final outcome now sits with Congress and the courts. A lawsuit has already been filed challenging the renaming, with Beatty arguing that only Congress can authorize an official change.
If the Kennedy Center Protection Act or the Federal Property Integrity Act becomes law, the measures would restore the Kennedy Center’s previous name and set a firm legal boundary against naming federal properties after sitting presidents—potentially limiting similar efforts by any administration in the future.
