- - President Trump Teases Plans to Renovate the Kennedy Center

Caroline HallemannDecember 28, 2025 at 6:48 AM

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Just before the Christmas holiday, the board of trustees at the Kennedy Center voted to rename the cultural institution in honor of both the late President John F. Kennedy and current president Donald Trump, a move which immediately sparked controversy, as well as questions about the legality of such a decision.

Several members of the Kennedy family were among those fervently criticizing the name change online, as workers affixed Trump's name to the exterior of the performing arts center.

For example, President Kennedy's niece Maria Shriver wrote on X: “The Kennedy Center was named after my uncle, President John F Kennedy. It was named in his honor. He was a man who was interested in the arts, interested in culture, interested in education, language, history. He brought the arts into the White House, and he and my Aunt Jackie amplified the arts, celebrated the arts, stood up for the arts and artists.It is beyond comprehension that this sitting president has sought to rename this great memorial dedicated to President Kennedy. It is beyond wild that he would think adding his name in front of President Kennedy’s name is acceptable. It is not.”

The Kennedy Center was named after my uncle, President John F Kennedy. It was named in his honor. He was a man who was interested in the arts, interested in culture, interested in education, language, history. He brought the arts into the White House, and he and my Aunt Jackie… pic.twitter.com/wcGjTp2uqa

— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) December 18, 2025

Now, President Trump is suggesting he has additional plans to refurbish the Kennedy Center.

On Truth Social Friday night, the President shared images of what appear to be marble samples, along with the text: “Potential Marble armrests for the seating at The Trump Kennedy Center. Unlike anything ever done or seen before!” It's unclear if swapping in new armrests would be the extent of a potential renovation.

Beyond aesthetics, President Trump has already made sweeping alterations to the historically non-partisan performing arts center in his second administration.

Earlier this year, Trump spoke out against the Center’s slate of “woke” programming, fired a number of Kennedy Center board members, and was subsequently made chairman of the board. The center's president, Deborah F. Rutter was then fired.

Trump's latest suggestion of a redecoration of the space comes following the cancellation of the traditional Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Center. Musician Chuck Redd, a drummer and vibraphonist and the longtime host of the annual event, chose to cancel the event following the name change of the institution. “I did choose to cancel our Kennedy Center Christmas Eve Jazz Jam when I saw the name change happening last Friday,” he said in a statement.

Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell has since threatened legal action against the musician.

The Kennedys and the Windsors: The Story of Two Dynasties, One Born, One Made

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”