Overview
- Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump-selected board voted unanimously to adopt the new name, crediting the president with saving the building financially and reputationally.
- Trump chairs the reconstituted board, removed the prior leadership, and installed Richard Grenell to run the institution.
- Under the administration’s direction, the center has shifted away from progressive programming and begun substantial renovations, including new seating.
- Trump has presented himself as host of the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors and has repeatedly referred to the venue with the new name in recent public remarks.
- The renaming push fits broader efforts to reshape Washington’s cultural landscape, including a White House remodel, a proposed triumphal arch, a rebrand of the U.S. Institute of Peace, and reviews of Smithsonian content.