Cult of personality? Trump name on Kennedy Center sparks outrage and lawsuit

A beloved holiday tradition at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ended abruptly on Christmas Eve when jazz musician Chuck Redd canceled his annual concert, citing the controversial addition of President Donald Trump’s name to the iconic Washington landmark.

Redd, who has hosted the free “Christmas Eve Jazz Jam” since 2006, said he decided to pull out after seeing new signage on the building. “I did choose to cancel our Kennedy Center Christmas Eve Jazz Jam when I saw the name change happening,” Redd stated. The event, a staple for nearly two decades, was removed from the center’s schedule without additional comment.

The cancellation highlights intensifying backlash against the Kennedy Center board’s 18 December unanimous vote to rename the venue “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts,” commonly shortened to the “Trump Kennedy Center.” The board, now chaired by Trump and filled with his appointees after he replaced prior members, has drawn accusations of self-glorification and potential illegality.

Critics, including Kennedy family members, call the move an affront to the center’s congressional designation as a “living memorial” to President John F. Kennedy. “It’s undignified, weird, and obsessive,” said Jack Schlossberg, JFK’s grandson. Others, like Kerry Kennedy, have expressed outrage, questioning the board’s authority.

The dispute intensified when Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex-officio trustee, filed a lawsuit on 22 December to block the change, arguing it violates federal law requiring congressional approval for alterations to memorials. Beatty claimed she was muted during the board’s virtual meeting when raising objections.

Kennedy Center and White House officials defend the rename, attributing it to Trump’s role in boosting fundraising and shifting programming away from perceived “woke” influences. They insist it honors his contributions without erasing JFK’s legacy.

Legal scholars largely agree the action may overstep bounds, as statutes protect the center’s original name and prohibit unauthorized exterior changes.

The incident is not isolated. Just days later, on 22 December, Trump announced at Mar-a-Lago a new class of Navy battleships dubbed “Trump-class,” with the lead vessel named USS Defiant. Equipped with advanced weapons like hypersonics and lasers, the ships are part of his “Golden Fleet” initiative to expand U.S. naval power. Trump said he would personally oversee design aspects, calling himself “a very aesthetic person.”

Earlier in December, the U.S. Institute of Peace headquarters was rebranded the “Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace,” following administration control.

These moves have fuelled accusations of a pattern of personalization, with critics comparing them to authoritarian practices of imprinting a leader’s name on public assets. Supporters view them as fitting tributes to Trump’s leadership and efforts to revitalize institutions.

At the Kennedy Center, reports suggest over two dozen performances have been cancelled since the board overhaul, as artists protest the politicization. Donors have voiced concerns about damaging its nonpartisan tradition.

Trump allies celebrate the changes as corrections to institutional biases, with some on social media dismissing Redd’s decision as hypersensitivity.

As lawsuits advance and public debate rages, the episodes underscore broader questions about institutional independence in Trump’s second term. While presidents appoint boards and influence naming conventions, affixing a sitting leader’s name to memorials, cultural sites, and military vessels – often overriding established honors – is rare in U.S. history.

Historians note parallels to foreign leaders who personalize state symbols, though defenders cite Trump’s mandate and standard executive powers. For now, the renamed Kennedy Center facade remains, alongside plans for Trump-class warships.

Cult of personality, a hallmark of totalitarian regimes where the leader is portrayed as an infallible, quasi-divine figure through pervasive propaganda and state-controlled symbolism, is most prominently illustrated in the modern world by North Korea’s deification of the Kim dynasty, China’s elevation of Xi Jinping as the core of the nation’s destiny, Iran’s veneration of the Supreme Leader, and Russia’s intense personalization of power around Vladimir Putin.

As lawsuits progress and artist boycotts gain momentum, the lasting effects on these national landmarks – and on how presidential legacies are viewed – remain uncertain with the 2026 midterm elections on the horizon.

With Reuters

Caption:A United States Park Police (USPP) vehicle is parked nearby as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts building displays US President Donald J. Trump’s name above former President John F. Kennedy’s, in Washington, DC, USA, 20 December 2025. Kennedy Center’s board of trustees, hand-picked by President Trump, voted to rename the institution ‘The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.’ While the center has already updated its branding and building signage, a formal name change would likely require an Act of Congress. EPA/SHAWN THEW