President Donald Trump has ignited a fierce political and cultural row after overseeing a dramatic rebranding of Washington's iconic performing arts venue, the Kennedy Centre. The controversy centres on the board's decision to rename it The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Centre for the Performing Arts, a move that has prompted a lawsuit, family condemnation, and artist boycotts.
Legal and Familial Backlash Intensifies
The renaming has faced immediate and significant opposition. Representative Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio and former board member, has filed a federal lawsuit arguing the board acted unlawfully. Her complaint states that, under the 1964 law establishing the centre, only Congress has the authority to alter its official name, and no such legislation has been passed.
"Unless and until this Court intervenes, the effort to corrupt the Kennedy Centre into a vanity project for Defendant Trump will continue to harm the institution," her legal team wrote. The lawsuit alleges Trump pushed for the change for personal reasons.
Members of the Kennedy family have also voiced their outrage. Maria Shriver, a niece of President John F. Kennedy, condemned the decision as "beyond comprehension." Another niece, Kerry Kennedy, stated she intends to have Trump's name removed from the building once he leaves office.
Artists Withdraw in Protest
The backlash has extended into the artistic community. Prominent jazz musician Chuck Redd, who has led the centre's annual holiday Jazz Jams since 2006, cancelled a scheduled Christmas Eve concert in protest. In response, the centre's president, Richard Grenell, sent a letter accusing Redd of partisan political motives and demanding $1 million in damages for the cancelled performance.
Other high-profile figures have also distanced themselves. Lin-Manuel Miranda cancelled a planned production of Hamilton at the venue. Grenell, in his letter published by the Associated Press, defended the Trump administration's actions, claiming it had rescued the institution from decline.
Trump's Personal Stamp on the Centre
Since taking office, Trump has restructured the centre's leadership, removed multiple board members appointed by President Biden, and elected himself chairman. He has now turned his attention to its aesthetics, floating a potential interior design upgrade.
On his Truth Social platform, the President shared photos of glossy black-and-white marble armrests, suggesting they could be installed as new seating. He praised the design as a dramatic upgrade, calling the marble fixtures "unlike anything ever done or seen before!"
This focus on renovation aligns with Trump's extensive, donor-funded overhaul of the White House grounds. Key projects include the demolition of the historic East Wing in October 2025 to make way for a new, 90,000-square-foot ballroom, and the replacement of the Rose Garden's lawn with a limestone terrace. Inside, the Oval Office has been refitted with prominent gold accents.
The future of the performing arts centre's name now likely rests with the courts, as its new signage—and the proposed marble seating—stand as potent symbols of a deeply divisive cultural intervention.
