John F. Kennedy Center Set for Major Renaming to Trump-Kennedy Performing Arts Center, As Stated by White House Statement.
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The board of trustees of the iconic performing arts venue has approved a measure to adopt a new name the Trump-Kennedy Center, per an announcement by the White House.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt declared online that the board's approval was consensus, crediting "the extraordinary job President Trump has done over the last year in rescuing the building."
"This will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur," Leavitt continued.
The proposed move is shaping up as highly controversial, especially in Washington, D.C., where the center has stood as an iconic landmark since its completion and original naming for President John F. Kennedy.
Context of the Venue
Not long after assuming the presidency, President Donald Trump fired all the center's incumbent trustees and installed supporters in their stead. The freshly appointed board then voted to appoint Trump as chairman.
The president helped procure approximately $257 million in congressional funding to cover major renovations and associated costs at the historic venue.
Inception
The concept for a Washington-based 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. Further context will be provided shortly.
