Overview
- In a CBS News interview, the health secretary said the naming issue is not a priority for him and that he was not involved in the decision.
- The Kennedy Center board voted in December to append President Donald Trump’s name, a change the White House touted as unanimous.
- Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex officio trustee, rejected that account, saying she was muted when she tried to voice opposition during the vote.
- Because Congress created the institution as a living memorial to John F. Kennedy, legal reporting indicates a formal name change would likely require lawmakers’ approval.
- The rebrand prompted cultural fallout, including a canceled jazz concert and a $1 million damages demand from center president Richard Grenell.