Kennedy Center Board Votes to Rename Arts Center to Honor Donald Trump

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has announced that the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees has unanimously voted to rename the federally funded arts center in Washington, DC “The Trump-Kennedy Center.”

TheaterMania has not independently verified Leavitt’s claim, but it stands to reason: Shortly after his inauguration, President Trump purged the Kennedy Center board of all Biden appointees, replacing them with his own slate of loyalists. Then they promptly elected him chairman.

“I have just been informed that the highly respected Board of the Kennedy Center, some of the most successful people from all parts of the world, have just voted unanimously to rename the Kennedy Center to the Trump-Kennedy Center, because of the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building,” Leavitt wrote on X, “Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation. Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur.”

The change comes just 11 days after President Trump personally hosted the 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees ceremony, which included a forced gaffe in his opening remarks: ““I’ll tell you what, the Trump Kennedy Center,” the president said before pausing to correct himself, “I mean, I’m sorry. Well, this is terribly embarrassing.” Apparently, the board of trustees took this joke as a suggestion.

The national tour of Spamalot is slated to begin performances tonight at the Trump-Kennedy Center.