Newly added lettering for U.S. President Donald Trump's name is displayed at the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a day after its board announced it would rename the institution The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 19, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
The Kennedy Center is reportedly in turmoil following the Trump-led board's controversial decision to rebrand the storied arts institution as The Trump Kennedy Center.
Notus reported Friday that the move ignited a firestorm among performers in addition to sparking concerns about the legality of the rename.
Musician Kristy Lee, who was scheduled to perform Jan. 14 on the Millennium Stage, told the outlet she was "in the process of canceling her scheduled performance."
And her decision reflected broader outrage within the arts community.
“I feel really badly for performers, not just for performers but for the people who work there,” one person scheduled to perform at the center told Notus, who was granted anonymity due to fears of retribution. “Kennedy Center is supposed to be a memorial, focusing on being nonpartisan. A place where people, it doesn’t matter what party they believe in, should be performing and experiencing the arts together regardless of what their party is. And it has not become that.”
The performer added: “It’s no longer a focus on the arts, and it’s very sad. And I know a lot of the people that I perform with are very sad.”
Another artist who said they planned to keep their performance date told the outlet: “Reality show personality and con artist aren’t the type of artist the center showcases.”
And yet another said Trump's name was a "stain" on the center.
Signage was installed on Friday, displaying "The Donald J. Trump and" above the original Kennedy Center nameplate.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, has said the move reflected “the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building.”