John F. Kennedy Center Moves for Major Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Center, According to White House Statement.
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The leadership board of the renowned performing arts venue has voted to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt announced via a post that the board's vote was unified, citing "the extraordinary job President Trump has done over the last year in preserving the building."
"This promises to be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt reach new levels of grandeur and success," Leavitt noted.
The proposed move is likely to prove deeply divisive, particularly in Washington, D.C., where the center has been an iconic landmark since its construction and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Background of the Institution
Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump fired all the center's sitting board members and named loyalists in their stead. The newly constituted board later moved to name Trump the chairman.
The president was instrumental in securing approximately $257 million in appropriated money to finance extensive repairs and other financial needs at the historic venue.
Inception
The concept for a federal performing arts center originated in the 1950s. Following the murder of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the then-under-construction venue was named in his honor.
This is a developing story. Additional information will be provided shortly.
