Jack Schlossberg, grandson of John F. Kennedy, has publicly denounced the Kennedy Center board's decision to rename the performing arts center in honor of Donald Trump. The White House announced on December 18th that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts would be known as the "Trump-Kennedy Center," claiming the board voted unanimously. However, Schlossberg disputes this, stating that microphones were muted during the board meeting and the vote was not unanimous. He alleges that President Trump pushed for this renaming as retaliation for Schlossberg's recently announced congressional campaign, suggesting Trump views the campaign as a direct challenge.
Schlossberg's claims of a non-unanimous vote are supported by Ohio Representative Joyce Beatty, an ex-officio member of the Kennedy Center board. Beatty also stated on X that she and other opponents were muted and prevented from voicing their opposition, deeming the move an act of censorship and noting it was not on the agenda. She further commented that Congress has a say in the center's designation, as it was created by congressional act, and believes this is an attempt to circumvent public input.
This renaming follows a pattern of Trump's efforts to associate himself with the Kennedy Center. After beginning his second term, Trump appointed himself chairman, replaced board members with MAGA supporters, and an earlier bill in July proposed renaming the center entirely to the "Donald J. Trump Center for Performing Arts." Schlossberg had previously argued that such a renaming would violate federal law, citing a statute that prohibits additional memorials in the center's public areas, as it is designated as a living memorial to JFK. He has expressed that Trump's actions stem from an obsession with overshadowing JFK and that art and history endure beyond such attempts to alter them.