Kennedy Center to establish new endowment in Trump’s name
The Kennedy Center is establishing a new endowment in President Trump’s name to supplement pre-existing private donations and $257 million in federal funding.
The fund was created at a meeting of the performing arts center’s board of trustees on Thursday; The members voted unanimously to accept the president’s contributions to the center through all legal means. The Kennedy Center’s board of directors is chaired by Mr. Trump and consists largely of his allies.
Kennedy Center this weekend Mr. Trump’s name removed He left the building to comply with a D.C. District Court judge’s order last month, according to a compliance notice filed by the administration. The administration made a last-minute request to postpone the judge’s preliminary injunction pending appeal, but the request was ultimately denied.
At Thursday’s meeting, the board also voted to postpone the earlier decision by filing an emergency motion on Friday.
“We are fully complying with the court’s direction as we evaluate legal options regarding the board’s unanimous decision,” said Roma Davari, vice president for public affairs at the Kennedy Center. “The establishment of the Trump Kennedy Center Fund aims to recognize President Donald J. Trump’s significant contributions and commitment to America’s premier cultural center, while also advancing our founding mission like never before.”
A work crew adjusts the awning covering scaffolding at the Kennedy Center to provide access to a large gate on June 13, 2026. / Credit: Photo: Robb Hill/The Washington Post via Getty Images
A Kennedy Center official told CBS News that the Trump Kennedy Center Fund is “a landmark commitment to secure the future of the nation’s premier performing arts institution and its enduring legacy of artistic excellence.” A source with knowledge of the donation plans suggested the focus would be on the “physical disrepair” of the building, an element the current board feels has been neglected in the past.
In last week’s court filing, the administration argued that it would be obligated to return any donations made to the Trump Kennedy Center if it was forced to revert to its original name.
“Without the name ‘Trump’ on the building, not only will our fundraising come to a halt, but all money raised or pledged will have to be refunded, refunded or terminated,” the government said. he wrote.
The creation of the fund comes less than two weeks after a district court judge ruled that the Kennedy Center board acted unlawfully in adding the president’s name and making two-year closure and renovation plans. this decision It mandated that Mr. Trump’s name be removed from the building by June 12.
Lawyers representing Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, who sued the administration last year over the name change and closure, called the administration’s objection Friday an “11th-hour gambit” after waiting almost two weeks to appeal the decision, in a statement to CBS News. “Today’s victory is the beginning of returning the Kennedy Center to the American people,” Beatty said in a statement after his name was removed this weekend, adding: “The rule of law has prevailed, and that’s worth celebrating.”
A Kennedy Center official said Mr. Trump will remain chairman of the board and the center will remain a living monument to President John F. Kennedy.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new fund on behalf of the president.
