GOP bill seeks to rename Kennedy Center for Trump
Share this @internewscast.com

(The Hill) – A House Republican’s bill would strip former President Kennedy’s name from the Washington institution created in the 35th commander in chief’s honor and instead have it known as the “Trump Center for the Performing Arts.”

The bill, recently introduced by Rep. Bob Onder (R-Mo.), aims to “designate the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as the ‘Donald J. Trump Center for the Performing Arts.'”

Representatives for Onder and the Kennedy Center didn’t immediately return a request for comment about the proposed name change.

In an earlier statement, Onder called Trump “a patron of the arts and a staple of the pop-culture landscape.”

Dubbing the bill the Make Entertainment Great Again (MEGA) Act, a play on Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” Onder said, “I cannot think of a more ubiquitous symbol of American exceptionalism in the arts, entertainment, and popular culture at large than President Trump.”

House Republicans on the Appropriations Committee approved an amendment earlier this month to the interior, environment and related agencies annual spending bill that would rename a space inside the Kennedy Center the prominent Washington arts hub’s famed opera house the “First Lady Melania Trump Opera House.”

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive to view opening night of “Les Miserables,” at the Kennedy Center, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) called the potential opera house designation an “excellent way to recognize [Melania Trump’s] support and commitment to promoting the arts.”

The opera house amendment was met with fierce condemnation from Trump critics, including Jack Schlossberg, Kennedy’s 32-year-old grandson.

“A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers,” Schlossberg wrote in a social media post. 

“The Trump administration stands for freedom of oppression, not expression,” Schlossberg said.

Trump, in an unprecedented move, overhauled the Kennedy Center’s board and named himself its chair in February, accusing it of being too “woke.”

After touring the Kennedy Center in March, Trump said it was in a state of “tremendous disrepair.”

Rep.-elect Bob Onder (R-Mo.) speaks to reporters outside the AC Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 as newly elected House membersfor the 119th session of Congress arrive for orientation.
Rep.-elect Bob Onder (R-Mo.) speaks to reporters outside the AC Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 as newly elected House membersfor the 119th session of Congress arrive for orientation.

“We’re going to fix it up, but it’s really emblematic of our country,” Trump said at the time.

The Kennedy Center opened its doors to the public in 1971. It describes its namesake Kennedy on its website as a “lifelong supporter and advocate of the arts” who “frequently steered the public discourse toward what he called ‘our contribution to the human spirit.'”

According to the institution, two months after Kennedy’s 1963 assassination, “Congress passed and President Johnson signed into law legislation renaming the National Cultural Center… as a ‘living memorial’ to Kennedy.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Massive Fish Die-Off at Seminole County Construction Site: Uncovering the Cause Behind the Overwhelming Stench

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A distressing scene unfolded at a construction site…

FAA Selects Two Companies to Upgrade 612 Aging Radar Systems for Air Traffic Control

The federal government has selected two companies to undertake the replacement of…

Unicoi County: Two Arrested for Animal Cruelty After Malnourished Dogs Discovered

In a distressing case of animal neglect, authorities in Unicoi County, Tennessee,…

Rubio and Hegseth Update Congress on Venezuela Strategy Amid Growing Uncertainty

WASHINGTON – On Monday evening, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by…

Two Arrested in Unicoi County for Animal Cruelty: Malnourished Dogs Rescued from Squalid Conditions

In Unicoi County, Tennessee, two residents from Erwin face animal cruelty charges…

Central Florida Braces for Foggy Conditions Amid Upcoming Warm Week

ORLANDO, Fla. – Central Florida is waking up to a dense fog…

2026 Sullivan County Mayoral Hopefuls Outline Their Vision and Plans

On Monday, in the heart of Kingsport, Tennessee, a gathering organized by…

US Revises Recommended Vaccines for Children: Fewer Shots Suggested

Immunization graphic (Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.) WASHINGTON…

Oil Stocks Surge Amid U.S. Sanctions on Venezuela: Market Reacts to Geopolitical Tensions

On Monday, shares of leading U.S. energy companies surged following President Donald…

Despite Trump’s Name on the Building, Congress Stands Firm on Kennedy Center Designation

New signage, The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial…

Knoxville Coin Show Sparks Frenzy as U.S. Mint Halts Penny Production

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Once a staple of everyday life, the humble…

Transfer Portal Update: Tracking Tennessee Vols Departures from Rocky Top

The college football transfer portal has officially opened its doors, marking the…