House Republican Bill Proposes Renaming Kennedy Center After President Trump

The Hill reports that a new bill introduced in the House of Representatives would rename The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as the 'Donald J. Trump Center for the Performing Arts,' marking a significant departure from the center’s historic association with President John F. Kennedy.

The legislation, put forward by Rep. Bob Onder (R-Mo.), would formally designate the prominent Washington institution in honor of the current president. Onder is referring to the bill as the 'Make Entertainment Great Again Act'. 

This latest proposal follows a separate effort by House Republicans earlier this month to rename the Kennedy Center’s opera house after First Lady Melania Trump. That amendment, which was approved by the House Appropriations Committee, would designate the performance space as the 'First Lady Melania Trump Opera House.' That amendment was part of a broader package of proposals included in the fiscal legislation. The move came several months after President Donald Trump reshaped the Kennedy Center’s board and appointed himself as chair, a break from tradition that drew criticism at the time. Trump has accused the institution of being too “woke.”

The twin proposals have sparked criticism from political opponents and members of the Kennedy family. Jack Schlossberg, grandson of President Kennedy, publicly criticized the efforts, quoting his grandfather in a statement about national values and remembrance. “A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces — but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers,” he wrote in a post shared online.

Since returning to office, Trump has taken a direct role in the management of the Kennedy Center. In February, he appointed himself chair of the institution’s board after expressing dissatisfaction with what he called its increasingly “woke” culture. After a tour of the center in March, he described the venue as being in a state of “tremendous disrepair” and pledged renovations.