President Donald Trump has hinted at the introduction of unique marble armrests for the seating at the Trump Kennedy Center, sparking curiosity and conversation.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump shared photos of the proposed armrests, enthusiastically describing them as “unlike anything ever done or seen before!”
Since Trump assumed office in January, the performing arts center has seen a number of transformations.
In a recent development, the center’s board decided to rename the venue to the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.
Prior to this, Trump made significant changes by appointing himself as the chair and replacing several board members.
Before that, Trump replaced several board members and named himself the chair.
Their name change has been met with praise and controversy. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio., a former member of the board, has filed a lawsuit challenging the name change.
Workers install Donald J. Trump above the current signage on the Kennedy Center on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)
“The Board’s purported renaming of the Kennedy Center violates federal law,” the lawsuit states. “By statute, Congress has named the center as ‘the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.’ Under our constitutional system, only Congress can modify a statute, and Congress must do so by enacting a new statute.”
“Congress has not changed the Kennedy Center’s name,” it continued. “Instead, Defendants are willfully flouting the law to satisfy Defendant Trump’s vanity.”
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is lit in red, white, and blue and reflected in the Potomac River at dusk on May 8, 2025, in Washington, DC. (David Ake/Getty Images)
In protest of the name change, the host of a Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Kennedy Center canceled his performance after Trump’s name was added to the facility.
In addition to the black and white marble armrests, Trump also posted images of the renovated Palm Room at the White House.
