The Kennedy Center board of trustees voted on Thursday to move forward with plans to inscribe President Donald Trump’s name on the exterior of the performing arts venue. The proposed inscription would read, “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump.” The board also approved a resolution to rename the surrounding grounds as “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.” This decision follows a previous legal challenge that resulted in a federal judge ordering the removal of the president’s name from the building earlier this year.
In addition to the naming changes, the board voted to close the main Kennedy Center building for a two-year renovation project. The board selected a plan that shuttering the facility entirely, arguing this path is faster and more cost-effective than keeping the building partially open during construction. According to documentation provided by the real estate firm JLL, the project is estimated to cost $250 million and aims for completion by the summer of 2028. Structural repairs to the aging heating, cooling, plumbing, and fire-safety systems represent a major portion of the planned work.
Legal experts and dissenting board members have questioned the move. Rep. Joyce Beatty, who filed the initial lawsuit that stopped the previous attempt to rename the building, signaled that she intends to challenge this latest resolution. A federal judge previously ruled that the law clearly mandates the center be named for President John F. Kennedy and that exterior memorials to other individuals are prohibited. Opponents argue that the board is attempting to circumvent both the spirit of the law and the specific directives issued by the court in May.
While the main building undergoes construction, the institution plans to shift programming to the Reach education facility and move marquee events like the Kennedy Center Honors and the Mark Twain Prize to alternative venues. The board maintains that the closure is necessary to avoid the higher costs and longer timelines associated with staged construction, which could double the total expense and extend the project to four years. The situation remains a point of contention as legal representatives for the opposing trustees prepare to return to court to contest the board’s latest actions.