A member of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts board has publicly alleged she was forcibly silenced during a crucial vote to rename the iconic Washington DC institution, directly contradicting official claims the decision was unanimous.
Allegations of Censorship on the Board
Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty of Ohio, an ex officio member of the centre's board, stated she was repeatedly muted when she tried to voice opposition during a call on Friday, 19 December 2025. The vote proposed changing the name to the Trump-Kennedy Center.
In a video posted on X, Beatty challenged the narrative. "What you may hear is that there was a unanimous vote to rename the Kennedy Center the Trump center," she said. "Be clear, I was on that call, and as I tried to push my button to voice my concern, to ask questions, and certainly not to vote in support of this, I was muted. Each time I tried to speak, I was muted." She later compared the experience to censorship.
Legal Questions and Official Response
The controversy is compounded by significant legal questions over the board's authority to enact such a change. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump replaced the board with his own appointees. However, legal experts like Georgetown law professor David Super have argued that an act of Congress is required to rename the centre, which was established by federal law as a living memorial to the late President Kennedy.
The Kennedy Center's leadership defended the process. Roma Daravi, Vice President of Public Relations, told The Independent that all board members were invited and could listen, but clarified Beatty's status. "The statute distinguishes between the statutory ex officio members and the general trustees appointed by the president. The ex officio members have never had a vote," Daravi stated, noting this is codified in the centre's bylaws.
The motion to change the name was reportedly put forward by Sergio Gor, a Trump aide recently chosen as ambassador to India, and seconded by former Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Political and Familial Backlash Grows
Reaction has split along partisan lines. Senior Democratic senators and ex officio board members Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and Mark Warner issued a joint statement condemning the vote, citing "a troubling lack of transparency and respect for the rule of law" and pervasive corruption.
The Kennedy family has expressed outrage. Former congressman Joe Kennedy III stated the centre "can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial." President Kennedy's niece, Maria Shriver, said she was left "speechless, and enraged, and in a state of disbelief." In response, Trump ally Ric Grenell claimed on X that the family had let the centre fall apart and "Donald Trump had to step in and save it."
The move is part of a broader pattern by the Trump administration to attach the president's name to institutions, despite legal ambiguities. Similar efforts include renaming a State Department institute and insisting on calling the Pentagon the 'Department of War'. Since the board takeover, the Washington Post reports artist boycotts and sharply falling ticket sales at the Kennedy Center's major venues.
