Construction workers on Friday added Donald Trump’s name to the sign on the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
The board of the cultural institution voted to change the name of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to the Trump-Kennedy Center, despite any formal change requiring congressional action.
However, that did not stop the center from slapping the president’s name on the signage one day later.
The Kennedy Center also immediately changed its website Thursday to reflect the the board’s action.
The move came after Trump had repeatedly suggested that the Kennedy Center become the Trump-Kennedy Center for months, both in public remarks and on social media.
The board of trustees consists of mostly Trump loyalists after he fired multiple members shortly after returning to office and named himself chairman.
The White House claimed the board voted unanimously to change the name on Thursday afternoon.
“I was honored by it,” Trump told reporters at the White House shortly after. “The board is a very distinguished board, most distinguished people in the country, and I was surprised by it. I was honored by it.”
However, the performing arts center is by law designated the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It is largely understood that the power to rename it lies with Congress.
Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, who is an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board of trustees, was on the call for the vote on Thursday.
She said that when she tried to push her button to object to the renaming of the Kennedy Center, she was muted.
“Participants were not allowed to voice their concerns who were online, yet it was said at the end it was a unanimous vote,” she said. “Clearly, the Congress has a say in this. This center, the Kennedy Center was created by the Congress.”
Democratic Senator Andy Kim posted photos of the construction workers changing the sign and wrote on X: “this needs to stop as it’s illegal to change without Congress.”
The Kennedy Center is less than a mile from the headquarters of the U.S. Institute of Peace, which the Trump administration also put the president’s name on earlier this month.
It happened despite ongoing litigation over the institute’s control after the administration fired most of the staff.
The Kennedy Center was named by Congress as a living memorial to the 35th president after he was assassinated.
Members of his family expressed fierce opposition to the name change after it was announced on Thursday.
Maria Shriver wrote that the Kennedy Center was named for her uncle as a man “who was interested in the arts, interested in culture, interested in education, language, history.”
“It is beyond comprehension that this sitting president has sought to rename this great memorial dedicated to President Kennedy,” she wrote. “It is beyond wild that he would think adding his name in front of President Kennedy’s name is acceptable. It is not.”
“The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law. It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial, no matter what anyone says,” wrote former Rep. Joe Kennedy III.
Trump-appointed Kennedy Center President Rick Grenell claimed the president “saved” the center.
The 79-year-old president has taken a personal interest in redecorating the center. He often talks about the new columns on the building and replacing seating.
A series of updates at the center are underway, thanks to funds allocated by Congress. The grand foyer and other areas also received major updates in 2024 before Trump took office.
However, there have been numerous reports that ticket sales have plummeted and audiences for shows have been largely down since Trump’s takeover.
