EXCLUSIVE: Kennedy Center board moves to name grounds ‘President Donald J. Trump Plaza’

The Kennedy Center's Board of Trustees has moved to rename the venue's grounds "President Donald J. Trump Plaza" and plans to inscribe "Endowed by the Trump Kennedy Center Fund" on the building once an associated fund reaches $100 million, according to Fox News Digital. The steps follow a board vote to add an inscription crediting Trump with restoring and renovating the arts centre, and to approve a partial closure for a major renovation, extending efforts to formally associate the president with the institution after a court previously blocked an earlier renaming attempt.

The resolution honouring Trump's contributions passed 20-3, while the partial-closure resolution passed 23-3, with Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Joyce Beatty and Rick Larsen voting against both. The board says the recognition follows Trump securing $257 million from Congress to tackle deferred maintenance, including water infiltration, damaged electrical rooms, structural failures in the parking garage and unsafe soffit panels; officials say the partial-closure plan would leave a $3.4 million surplus compared with a projected $78 million deficit under a longer, phased-closure alternative. Free programming will continue at the REACH, and the National Symphony Orchestra will perform its 2026-2027 season at venues elsewhere while renovations proceed.