US President Donald Trump continues to reimagine The John F. Kennedy Heart for the Performing Arts in his picture with an unprecedented change of title.
The efficiency venue has formally been renamed the Trump Kennedy Heart as of 19 December 2025, per its web site, simply in the future after the board voted to vary the identify within the president’s honour. Constructed as a residing monument to the thirty fifth president of america, John F. Kennedy, after he launched a $30m fundraising marketing campaign for the Heart’s building in 1963, the Kennedy Heart’s designation as a memorial was signed into legislation by by President Lyndon B. Johnson two months after Kennedy’s assassination.
President Trump’s identify has already been added to the Washington D.C. performing artwork centre’s facade. Based on the New York Occasions, it has been “usually understood” that this energy lies with Congress, elevating questions of legality. On 18 December, Trump advised reporters that he was “shocked” that the board, of which he’s chair, moved to vary the Kennedy Heart’s identify.
“This was introduced up by one of many very distinguished board members, they usually voted on it, and there is lots of board members, they usually voted unanimously. So I used to be very honoured by it,” he advised journalists within the Oval Workplace.
In February of 2025, Trump abruptly fired a number of members of the Kennedy Heart’s board of trustees and named himself the chair, writing a submit on Reality Social promising to place a halt to “Drag Reveals particularly focusing on our youth” on the rarified theater. In April of 2025, the John F. Kennedy Heart for the Performing Arts canceled contracts for World Delight-related occasions in Could and June; that August, Trump joked about altering the venue’s identify in a submit on Reality Social, writing, “GREAT Nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I imply, KENNEDY CENTER.”
Former Consultant Joseph Kennedy III, the late President Kennedy’s grandnephew, launched an announcement on 18 December, declaring that the centre is “named for President Kennedy by federal legislation. It may no sooner be renamed than can somebody rename the Lincoln Memorial, it doesn’t matter what anybody says.”
Six sitting Democrats who’ve been beforehand concerned with the Kennedy Heart board additionally launched an announcement, declaring an “unwavering dedication to holding this administration accountable”. Senator Chuck Schumer and consultant Hakeem Jeffries, the main Democrats within the Senate and Home of Representatives, respectively, had been amongst those that signed the assertion.
