Key Takeaways:
- The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts has been renamed to include Donald Trump’s name, sparking outrage and backlash from artists, Democrats, and historians.
- Performers, including Kristy Lee, are canceling or considering canceling their scheduled performances at the center in protest.
- Some artists are choosing to keep their performances as an act of resistance to Trump’s takeover.
- The renaming of the center requires an act of Congress, according to historians and Democrats.
- Kennedy’s relatives, including Kerry Kennedy, have expressed their outrage and are planning to take action to remove Trump’s name from the building.
Introduction to the Controversy
The recent renaming of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts to include Donald Trump’s name has sparked a wave of controversy and backlash from the arts community, Democrats, and historians. The decision, made by the center’s board, which is now stacked with MAGA loyalists, has been met with widespread criticism and outrage. Performers, including folk singer Kristy Lee, are canceling or considering canceling their scheduled performances at the center in protest. The backlash is not limited to performers, as Kennedy’s relatives, including Kerry Kennedy, have expressed their outrage and are planning to take action to remove Trump’s name from the building.
The Backlash from Performers
The renaming of the center has left a permanent "stain" on the institution, according to one performer who spoke to NOTUS on the condition of anonymity. Many performers are lamenting the loss of the center’s nonpartisan reputation and the fact that it has become associated with Trump. Some performers, however, are choosing to keep their scheduled performances as an act of resistance to Trump’s takeover. They believe that by performing at the center, they can help keep the audiences that love the Kennedy Center and ensure that the institution survives Trump’s presidency. As one artist noted, "Reality show personality and con artist aren’t the type of artist the center showcases," and they do not associate the arts or the building with Trump.
The Renaming Process
The renaming of the center was announced by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who stated that the decision was made by the center’s board. However, Democrats and historians have insisted that renaming the venue requires an act of Congress. The board, which includes White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and other MAGA loyalists, is not a lawmaking entity and does not have the authority to change the name of the center. According to Ray Smock, a former House historian, "The Kennedy Center was named by law. To change the name would require a revision of that 1964 law." Despite this, Trump’s name was quickly and tackily plastered onto the center’s building, which now reads: "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts."
The Impact on the Center
The renaming of the center has already had a significant impact on the institution. Ticket sales have reportedly plummeted, and audiences have thinned since Trump’s takeover. The center’s reputation has also been damaged, with many performers and artists expressing their outrage and disappointment. The center’s nonpartisan reputation has been lost, and it has become associated with Trump’s divisive politics. As one performer noted, "Kennedy Center is supposed to be a memorial, focusing on being nonpartisan. A place where people, it doesn’t matter what party they believe in, should be performing and experiencing the arts together regardless of what their party is. And it has not become that."
The Response from Kennedy’s Relatives
Kennedy’s relatives have expressed their outrage and are planning to take action to remove Trump’s name from the building. Kerry Kennedy, the former president’s niece, has vowed to take a pickax to the building and remove the letters herself. She has also applied for a carpenter’s card, so it will be a union job. The Kennedy family’s response is a testament to the strong feelings of outrage and betrayal that many people are experiencing as a result of the renaming of the center. As Kerry Kennedy noted, "Three years and one month from today, I’m going to grab a pickax and pull those letters off that building, but I’m going to need help holding the ladder."
