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The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees has moved to designate the performing arts institution’s grounds as “President Donald J. Trump Plaza” and establish an inscription reading “Endowed by the Trump Kennedy Center Fund” once a $100 million endowment is reached, according to internal board documents. The initiative represents part of a broader effort by the board to acknowledge Trump’s role in securing federal funding for the landmark facility’s extensive restoration work.
On Thursday, the board voted to inscribe language crediting Trump with “restoring and renovating” the Kennedy Center below its official name. The measure recognizing Trump’s contributions passed 20-3, while a companion resolution approving partial closure during renovations passed 23-3. Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Democratic Reps. Joyce Beatty of Ohio and Rick Larsen of Washington opposed both resolutions.
Trump secured $257 million in congressional funding to address decades of deferred maintenance at the center. The comprehensive renovation will tackle water infiltration, compromised electrical systems, structural deficiencies affecting the parking garage, and 2,000-pound soffit panels that pose safety concerns and have exceeded their operational lifespan.
The board’s partial-closure strategy projects a $3.4 million surplus compared with a $78 million deficit under an alternative four-year rolling closure plan. Educational programs, the Millennium Stage, film screenings, and the JFK memorial exhibition will continue at the REACH facility during construction, while the National Symphony Orchestra will perform its 2026-2027 classical season at regional venues.
A federal judge previously blocked an earlier attempt to rename the center after Trump. The White House, JFK Library, and Jack Schlossberg, Kennedy’s grandson, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the board’s latest action.
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