Former President Donald Trump’s decision to appoint a new board for the Kennedy Center has sparked controversy, particularly by adding his name to the institution originally established as a tribute to President John F. Kennedy. This move has not only upset artists but also members of the Kennedy family. However, a comedy writer known for his work on “South Park” and “Mad TV” might have turned the tables with a clever twist.
Toby Morton, anticipating Trump’s intentions, took preemptive action in August by securing the domain names “trumpkennedycenter.org” and “trumpkennedycenter.com”. His foresight was based on the president’s earlier actions of restructuring the Kennedy Center’s board and hinting at a possible rebranding of the center in his honor.
“When I saw the board changes, I thought it was only a matter of time before Trump’s name would be on the building,” Morton shared with the Washington Post.
Morton, who describes himself on Instagram as a “Creator of Anti-Fascist Websites,” has previously purchased domain names associated with the likes of Reps. Nancy Mace and Marjorie Taylor Greene to create parody accounts. When asked if he plans to use the Trump Kennedy Center websites in a similar way, he said they’ll “absolutely reflect the absurdity of the moment.”
Morton further explained to the Post, “The Kennedy Center was designed to be a timeless cultural institution, not tied to any single administration or individual. It celebrates the arts, not personal glory. Once it became more about ego, satire was a natural response.”
Currently, the Kennedy Center continues to use its original domain, kennedy-center.org. However, its homepage now references the venue as the Trump Kennedy Center. Despite these changes, legally renaming the institution remains complex, as it was formally designated the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by an Act of Congress in 1964 following JFK’s assassination.
Trump’s direct involvement with the Kennedy Center has not been without repercussions, as the institution grapples with the implications of his branding efforts.
On Wednesday, jazz drummer Chuck Redd canceled the Christmas Eve show he’s been playing there for nearly 20 years after Trump’s team literally added the current president’s name to the building’s facade. On Friday, Trump-appointed Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell fired off an angry letter to Redd, threatening to sue him for $1 million over his “abrupt cancellation.”
After Trump took it upon himself to host the annual Kennedy Center Honors earlier this month, preliminary ratings for the event’s Tuesday broadcast on CBS reportedly showed the ceremony was viewed by “its smallest ever audience.”
With News Wire Services
