Thu Dec 18 18:20:00 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kennedy Center Rebranded as “Trump-Kennedy Center” Amidst Controversy
Washington, D.C. – In a move that has ignited significant controversy, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will now be known as the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The announcement, made via an X post on Thursday, stated that the center’s board of trustees, appointed by President Donald Trump in February, voted unanimously in favor of the name change.
“They did so because of the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building,” Leavitt said. She added congratulations to both presidents, predicting “new levels of success and grandeur” for the institution.
The rationale for the renaming centers around President Trump’s perceived efforts to revitalize the cultural landmark. According to Leavitt, this “saving” encompasses both financial and infrastructural improvements. However, this portrayal sharply contrasts with recent reports from major news outlets detailing a significant decline in ticket sales and staffing levels at the Kennedy Center this year.
The New York Times reported a 50% drop in ticket sales during a typical week in October compared to the previous year. The Washington Post corroborated these findings, citing an across-the-board decrease in ticket purchases across the center’s largest performance spaces from early September through mid-October.
President Trump signaled the potential name change as early as October, sharing images of a newly painted colonnade on Truth Social with a caption praising the “TRUMP KENNEDY, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER, columns.”
The Kennedy Center was originally established in 1958 by President Dwight Eisenhower as a National Cultural Center. It was renamed in honor of President John F. Kennedy by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, following Kennedy’s assassination.
Throughout the first year of his second term, Trump has been a visible presence at the Kennedy Center. He named himself chairman weeks after taking office, attended a board meeting in March, and hosted the Kennedy Center Honors this month, saluting performers like Sylvester Stallone and Gloria Gaynor. He also attended the FIFA World Cup drawing at the center, where he was awarded a peace prize.
The renaming has drawn criticism from some quarters, with many questioning the historical significance of the Kennedy Center and the potential for the change to be viewed as politically motivated.
First Piper 