Kennedy Center Moves for Controversial Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Center, According to White House Statement.
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The board of trustees of the renowned performing arts venue has voted to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on social media that the board's approval was consensus, citing "the unbelievable work 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 reach new levels of success and grandeur," Leavitt added.
The intended name change is expected to be deeply divisive, especially in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an architectural and cultural icon since its completion and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Background of the Center
Not long after taking office, President Donald Trump dismissed all the center's sitting board members and installed loyalists in their positions. The reconstituted board subsequently voted to appoint Trump as chairman.
The president later secured approximately $257 million in appropriated money to pay for extensive repairs and other financial needs at the historic venue.
Inception
The idea for a federal performing arts center was first proposed in the 1950s. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the then-under-construction venue was dedicated to his memory.
This is a developing story. More details will be published soon.
