Kennedy Center Set for Major Name Change to Trump-Kennedy Performing Arts Center, As Stated by White House Statement.
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The governing board of the renowned performing arts venue has approved a measure to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, per an announcement by the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated on social media that the board's approval was consensus, citing "the tremendous efforts President Trump has done over the last year in preserving the building."
"This is destined to be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt achieve new levels of success and grandeur," Leavitt noted.
The planned renaming is expected to be extremely contentious, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an iconic landmark since its founding and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Venue
Soon after beginning his term, President Donald Trump fired all the center's existing board members and appointed allies in their stead. The freshly appointed board then voted to name Trump the chairman.
The president was instrumental in securing approximately $257 million in congressional funding to finance significant upgrades and other financial needs at the aging venue.
Inception
The vision for a national performing arts center was first proposed in the 1950s. Following the tragic death of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the then-under-construction venue was christened the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
This report is being updated. More details will be published soon.
