Kennedy Center Set 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 voted to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to a statement from the White House.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared online that the board's vote was unified, attributing it to "the tremendous efforts President Trump has done over the last year in rescuing the building."
"This promises to be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of prestige and accomplishment," Leavitt continued.
The planned renaming is shaping up as extremely contentious, notably in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an architectural and cultural icon since its founding and dedication for President John F. Kennedy.
Recent History of the Venue
Not long after beginning his term, President Donald Trump dismissed all the center's existing board members and installed allies in their stead. The freshly appointed board then voted to elect Trump chairman.
The president was instrumental in securing approximately $257 million in congressional funding to cover extensive repairs and operational expenses at the aging venue.
Inception
The concept for a federal performing arts center was first proposed in the 1950s. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1963, the then-under-construction venue was dedicated to his memory.
This report is being updated. Further context will be added as it becomes available.