The Kennedy Center's board voted to close until Trump's name is added. Here's a look at the history behind the landmark.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images The Trump-appointed Kennedy Center board voted to close the performing arts center on Tuesday. Trump renamed the center to the Trump Kennedy Center, then a federal judge ordered his name removed. Originally called the National Cultural Center, the name changed after Kennedy's 1963 assassination. The Trump-appointed board of the Kennedy Center voted to close the embattled performing arts center on Tuesday — the latest twist in the Trump administration's quest for control over the space. In December 2025, the board voted to rename the Kennedy Center to the Trump Kennedy Center, reflecting President Donald Trump's broader effort to exert influence over Washington's cultural institutions. It happened despite lingering questions about its legality. The new signage read "The Donald J.