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President Donald Trump recently sparked interest by hinting at the introduction of new marble armrests for the seating at the Trump Kennedy Center. This announcement was made through photos he shared on Truth Social, accompanied by a claim that these additions are “unlike anything ever done or seen before!”
Since taking office in January, Trump has overseen a series of modifications at the performing arts center. These changes reflect his influence and vision for the venue.
In a notable development, the center’s board decided to rename the venue as the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, marking a new chapter in its history and blending the legacies of two distinct American presidents.
President Donald Trump touted potential marble armrests for seating at the Trump Kennedy Center. (AP; Truth Social)
Most recently, the board voted to rename the venue to the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.
Before that, Trump replaced several board members and named himself the chair.
The name change was met with praise and controversy. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio., a former member of the board, has filed a lawsuit challenging the name change.
Workers install Donald J. Trump above the current signage at the Kennedy Center Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)
“The Board’s purported renaming of the Kennedy Center violates federal law,” the lawsuit states. “By statute, Congress has named the center as ‘the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.’ Under our constitutional system, only Congress can modify a statute, and Congress must do so by enacting a new statute.
“Congress has not changed the Kennedy Center’s name,” it continued. “Instead, Defendants are willfully flouting the law to satisfy Defendant Trump’s vanity.”
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is lit in red, white and blue and reflected in the Potomac River at dusk May 8, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (David Ake/Getty Images)
In protest of the name change, the host of a Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Kennedy Center canceled his performance after Trump’s name was added to the center.
In addition to the black and white marble armrests, Trump posted images of the renovated Palm Room at the White House.
