CBS Airs 'Trump Kennedy Center' Title, But Its News Division Vows to Ignore It

A house divided cannot stand, and right now, CBS appears to be split. The network broadcast the controversial new name for the Kennedy Center Honors during its star-studded telecast, yet its own news division has reportedly implemented a policy to ignore the change, exposing a deep rift within the media giant.

During the ceremony's airing on December 23, CBS added a voiceover stating, "And now, the Trump Kennedy Center Honors on CBS." A title card also flashed on screen, reading, "The following is a Donald J. Trump and Kennedy Center Production." But behind the scenes, the network's newsroom was singing a different tune.

A Tale of Two Policies

According to The Washington Post, the network's news division circulated an internal memo instructing staff to stick with the original name. "Yesterday, the newly appointed board of the Kennedy Center voted to change the facility's name to the Trump-Kennedy Center... But it would take Congressional approval to officially change the name," wrote CBS News senior director of standards and practices Jack Renaud in an email. "Therefore, CBS News will continue to use the 'Kennedy Center.'"

The broadcast itself was also heavily edited. President Donald Trump, the first sitting president to host the ceremony, saw his 12-minute opening monologue cut down to a mere two minutes. The network reportedly removed a joke in which he referred to the crowd as being full of "miserable, horrible people."

Dispute Over a "Unanimous" Vote

The controversy began after the institution's board voted to approve adding the president's name. On December 18, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the board "voted unanimously" to approve the change. That claim was quickly challenged.

Ohio Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, a board member, fired back. "For the record. This was not unanimous," she wrote. "I was muted on the call and not allowed to speak or voice my opposition to this move." Beatty added that the item wasn't on the agenda, calling the move "censorship," not consensus.