In a saga that has captivated the nation and deepened political divides, the Kennedy family’s outspoken vow to strip President Donald Trump’s name from the iconic John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts the moment his second term ends has provoked a blistering response from the White House. What began as a controversial board decision to add Trump’s name to the venerable institution has escalated into a full-blown cultural and legal battle, with threats of pickaxes, lawsuits, artist boycotts, and presidential fury dominating headlines as the year closes.
The controversy erupted on December 18, 2025, when White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees—largely appointed by Trump after he purged previous members earlier in the year—had voted unanimously to rename the venue “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” By the next day, workers had already affixed new lettering to the building’s facade, transforming the exterior overnight.
The move honored Trump’s role in securing federal funding for renovations and revitalizing the center, according to supporters. Trump himself claimed he was “surprised and honored,” despite having joked about the idea for months and appointing himself board chairman.
But the Kennedy family saw it as an affront to their legacy. Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and niece of President John F. Kennedy, led the charge. On December 19, as photos of the new signage circulated, she posted on X: “Three years and one month from today, I’m going to grab a pickax and pull those letters off that building, but I’m going to need help holding the ladder. Are you in? Applying for my carpenter’s card today, so it’ll be a union job!!!”
Her post, accompanied by an image of the altered facade, went viral, amassing millions of views and sparking a wave of support—and mockery—from across the political spectrum.
Kerry Kennedy wasn’t alone. Her cousin Maria Shriver called the addition “not dignified” and “obsessive in a weird way,” arguing that true greatness doesn’t require slapping one’s name on an existing memorial. Former Rep. Joe Kennedy III emphasized the center’s status as a “living memorial” established by federal law. Even JFK’s grandson Jack Schlossberg weighed in, questioning the legality.
The family’s objections center on values: They argue Trump’s policies stand in “opposition” to JFK’s ideals of justice, peace, equality, and compassion. Notably, Kerry’s brother, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services—has remained silent on the issue, highlighting fractures within the famously Democratic clan.
President Trump’s reaction was swift and incendiary. In a series of Truth Social posts and remarks to reporters, he dismissed the Kennedys’ threats as “deranged” and a “personal attack” on his achievements. “The radical left Kennedys are furious because I saved their failing center—record donations, beautiful renovations, the best honors ever!” Trump wrote. “Kerry wants to vandalize a national treasure with a pickax? That’s who they are—destroyers! Sad!”
He went further, calling the criticism “Trump Derangement Syndrome at its worst” and vowing the name would stay “forever.” White House aides echoed this, praising Trump’s “extraordinary efforts” to rescue the institution from financial woes.
Legal challenges have piled on. Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex-officio board member who claims she was muted during the vote, filed a lawsuit arguing only Congress can alter the name, as the center was designated a memorial to JFK by statute. Over 70 lawmakers have urged reversal, and new bills propose banning naming federal buildings after sitting presidents.
The backlash extended to the arts community. Several performers canceled shows, including a high-profile New Year’s Eve jazz event and a Christmas Eve concert by drummer Chuck Redd. The center’s president, Trump ally Richard Grenell, threatened Redd with a $1 million lawsuit, calling his cancellation “classic intolerance.”
As 2025 ends, the standoff shows no signs of cooling. Kerry Kennedy has doubled down, recently thanking a satirist who purchased parody domain names for the “Trump Kennedy Center.” Protests have popped up outside the building, while Trump supporters celebrate the rename as recognition of his cultural contributions.
This episode underscores the polarized era: A national arts landmark, meant to unite through culture, has become a flashpoint in America’s ongoing political wars. With Trump’s term running until January 2029, the Kennedys’ “pickax plan” remains a symbolic rallying cry—and a promise of reversal should power shift. For now, the mismatched signage stands as a bold, divisive emblem of the Trump era.