Kennedy Center Name Change: Lawsuit Seeks to Remove Trump's Name, Igniting Legal Battle

Can a living memorial to a fallen president be renamed? That question has escalated from a political firestorm into a legal battle in Washington D.C. Democratic US Representative Joyce Beatty has filed a lawsuit to remove President Donald Trump's name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, after its board voted last week to rename the iconic venue the 'Trump-Kennedy Center'.

The Lawsuit: An 'Illegal' Act

Beatty, who is a designated board member by US law, alleges in her lawsuit that the renaming is illegal because changing the name requires "an act of Congress". The suit claims that when Beatty called into the meeting to voice her opposition, she was muted. Her argument centers on the idea that Congress intended for the center to be a permanent "living memorial" to former President Kennedy.

White House Rebuttal: Trump 'Saved' the Center

The White House has fiercely defended the move. In a statement to the BBC, spokesperson Liz Huston said Trump had "stepped up" and saved the Kennedy Center by improving its finances, modernizing the building, and ending "divisive woke programming". The statement emphasized that the board voted unanimously for the change, calling it a "historic move that marks a new era of success, prestige, and restored grandeur." As of Friday, Trump's name has already been added to the building's exterior, and its website logo has been updated.

A Divided Legacy and Family Outcry

The decision has sparked harsh criticism, especially from the Kennedy family. Joe Kennedy III, the late president's grandnephew, stated that the center "can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial". The board's current composition is a key point of contention. It has 34 members appointed by Trump and 23 others designated by law. Soon after taking office, Trump replaced numerous board members with allies and secured about $257m (£190m) in congressional funding for renovations.