John F. Kennedy Center Votes for Major Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Center, Per White House Announcement.
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The board of trustees of the renowned performing arts venue has decided to change its name the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated on social media that the board's vote was unified, attributing it to "the tremendous efforts President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building."
"This will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt achieve new levels of prestige and accomplishment," Leavitt added.
The planned renaming is expected to be extremely contentious, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has been an architectural and cultural icon since its founding and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Institution
Soon after assuming the presidency, President Donald Trump fired all the center's incumbent trustees and named loyalists in their place. The newly constituted board then voted to name Trump the chairman.
The president was instrumental in securing approximately $257 million in appropriated money to finance significant upgrades and associated costs at the aging venue.
Historical Roots
The concept for a Washington-based performing arts center originated in the 1950s. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the planned venue was christened the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
This report is being updated. Further context will be published soon.