• Trump's name has been officially added to the Kennedy Center's building facade.
• The renaming has prompted legal disputes and outrage from the Kennedy family.
• This marks the first time a sitting president's name has been attached to a national institution.
• Former President Biden's appointees were removed from the board, enabling the name change.
• Critics argue congressional approval is necessary for such a name alteration.

On December 19, President Donald Trump's name was affixed to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the day after the newly appointed board voted to rename the institution to “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” This swift action has generated significant backlash, especially from members of the Kennedy family and Democratic lawmakers, who claim that the name change is illegal and cannot occur without congressional approval, according to Reuters and Business Insider.

The Kennedy Center, originally established as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, was renamed by Congress shortly after his assassination in 1963. Kerry Kennedy, a prominent critic and daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, stated her intent humorously on social media to "grab a pickax" to remove Trump's name when his term ends, criticizing the move as contrary to her uncle's values of "justice, peace, equality, dignity, diversity, and compassion," as reported by India Times and Le Monde.

Under the law, changes to the name of the Kennedy Center are purportedly prohibited, as highlighted by numerous commentators and legal experts. They argue that any modification would require an act of Congress due to its designation as a national memorial. "The Kennedy Center was named by law. To change the name would require a revision of that 1964 law," noted Ray Smock, a former House historian, according to CBS News and Al Jazeera.

Despite the backlash, Trump's board members have defended the decision, arguing that it honors both his contributions and Kennedy's legacy. Trump's ongoing efforts to restore the Kennedy Center, which he claimed was in poor condition, have been seen as part of a broader trend of cultural rebranding under his administration, as indicated by posts on social media from the Center, according to Reuters and Business Insider.