Overview
- The Trump-chaired Kennedy Center board voted unanimously to add his name, and the venue installed exterior letters and updated its website branding.
- Federal statute 20 U.S.C. 76j designates the complex as a memorial to John F. Kennedy and restricts additional memorials, prompting questions about the board’s authority.
- Senator Chris Van Hollen told protesters he will seek an Interior appropriations amendment when Congress returns in January to remove the new branding, calling the action “blatantly illegal.”
- Members of the Kennedy family and arts advocates condemned the change, with Maria Shriver expressing outrage and Kerry Kennedy vowing online to take the letters down after Trump leaves office.
- Reporting highlights a broader overhaul under Trump-appointed trustees, including programming shifts, cancellations, and branding moves that have sparked polarized media debates.