5 d. ago Typically it takes years for a president to get their name on buildings – Trump has done it while still in office

Since returning to the Oval in January, the president has already seen multiple buildings and federal initiatives named and renamed after himself

Politics

8 d. ago Washington National Opera leaving the Kennedy Center in latest upheaval since Trump takeover

After WNO announced their departure, the Trump Kennedy Center claimed the decision was due to a ‘financially challenging relationship’

Politics

8 d. ago Washington National Opera to move out of Kennedy Center after Trump ‘takeover’

Artistic director of US’s national opera also cites ‘shattered’ donor confidence and box office revenueThe Washington National Opera (WNO) announced on Friday it is moving its performances out of the John F Kennedy Center, where it has been performing since 1971, according to a New York Times report.Francesca Zambello, WNO’s artistic director, had said in November that the move was a possibility as a result of the “takeover” of the center by Donald Trump. Trump declared himself the chair of the institution in February and quickly thereafter fired and replaced its board and leadership. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Yet another musician cancels their Kennedy Center performance after Trump’s attempt at name change

The Mexican American artist was scheduled to give two concerts for young people on February 7

Politics

9 d. ago Sonia De Los Santos cancels Kennedy Center shows, citing unwelcoming climate

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sonia De Los Santos has canceled her upcoming performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington

Politics

1 week ago ‘We want performers who aren’t political’: Trump’s Kennedy Center boss takes aim at another musician over canceled concert

Grammy-winning banjo player Béla Fleck said that performing at the Kennedy Center has become ‘charged and political’

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Their first instinct was to loot’: how Trump’s acolytes are plundering the Kennedy Center

Sheldon Whitehouse, an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board, remains undeterred and determined to press on with his investigation“That’s the tactic they use,” said Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island senator, pondering whether Donald Trump might attach his name to the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. “You float stuff and you float stuff and you float stuff until people get inured to what a stupid or outrageous thing it is that has been floated and then you pull the trigger.”Whitehouse was sitting in his Senate office and speaking to the Guardian at 11am on Thursday 18 December. Two hours later, his words proved prophetic. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, announced on X that the Kennedy Center board had “voted unanimously” to rename it the Trump-Kennedy Center. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump administration terminates lease for Washington's 3 public golf courses

The Trump administration has ended the lease agreement for three public golf courses in Washington

Politics

2 w. ago Kennedy Center reportedly changed rules before vote to add Trump’s name

Bylaws that would limit voting to Trump-appointed trustees appears to reveal long-held renaming planThe Kennedy Center reportedly adopted bylaws earlier this year that would limit voting to Donald Trump-appointed trustees – a controversial move that appears to reveal the long-held plan to install Trump’s name to the center.The bylaws, in a possible breach of the institution’s charter, were revised in May and specified that board members appointed by Congress, known as ex-officio members, could not vote or count towards a quorum, according to the Washington Post. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago All the things Trump has named after himself in 11 months as his team defends renaming blitz

Washington has many buildings and monuments named after presidents, but that has traditionally occurred well after they have left office

Politics

2 w. ago Kennedy Center president claims ‘legacy media’ is encouraging artists to boycott performances over Trump name change

Leadership at the Washington, D.C. arts mainstay has been fuming over a series of recent artist cancellations in protest of the president and his allies attempting to rename the center after himself

Politics

2 w. ago More musicians drop out of Kennedy Center shows after Trump name change

The Cookers on Monday pulled out of a New Year’s Eve jazz gig at the controversially renamed ‘Trump-Kennedy’ centerA second jazz band has pulled out of performing at the controversially renamed “Trump-Kennedy” center in Washington DC, giving just two days notice before their New Year’s Eve gig was set to take place.The Cookers, described as a Grammy-nominated, all-star septet of legendary post-bop jazz musicians, have not given an explicit reason for their decision but in a statement posted on their website said: “Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice.” Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago More musicians cancel Kennedy Center concerts following addition of Trump's name to building

More artists have canceled performances at the Kennedy Center after President Donald Trump's name was added to the facility

Politics

2 w. ago More events planned for the Kennedy Center are canceled in protest of Trump adding his name to the building

The president’s de facto takeover of the center earlier this year has prompted continued criticism from artists

Politics

3 w. ago Kennedy Center demands $1M from jazz musician who pulled out of annual Christmas Eve concert in protest at Trump renaming

Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell said on social media that he would ‘not let’ artists cancel shows at the venue ‘without consequence’

Politics

3 w. ago Kennedy Center demands $1M from jazz musician who pulled out of annual New Year’s concert in protest at Trump renaming

Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell said on social media that he would ‘not let’ artists cancel shows at the venue ‘without consequence’

Politics

3 w. ago Kennedy Center president demands $1m from musician who canceled Christmas Eve show

Drummer Chuck Redd decided to cancel his yearly Jazz Jam after Donald Trump added his name to the venueThe president of the Kennedy Center has demanded $1m in damages and fiercely criticized a musician’s sudden decision to cancel a Christmas Eve performance at the venue days after the White House announced that Donald Trump’s name would be added to the facility.“Your decision to withdraw at the last moment – explicitly in response to the Center’s recent renaming, which honors President Trump’s extraordinary efforts to save this national treasure – is classic intolerance and very costly to a non-profit Arts institution,” the venue’s president, Richard Grenell, wrote in a letter to musician Chuck Redd that was shared with the Associated Press. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Kennedy Center threatens musician with lawsuit over Trump name protest

Chuck Redd canceled a Christmas Eve performance after learning the president’s name would be added to the venue

Events

3 w. ago Trump unveils ‘potential marble armrests’ for seats at the Kennedy Center: ‘Unlike anything ever done or seen before’

The White House has said the Kennedy Center Board ‘voted unanimously’ to add Trump’s name to its title

Politics

3 w. ago Kennedy Center criticizes musician who canceled performance after Trump name added to building

The president of the Kennedy Center is criticizing musician Chuck Redd for canceling a Christmas Eve performance

Politics