Kennedy Center Granted One More Month As Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center will remain temporarily dedicated to John F. Kennedy after officials delayed plans to place President Donald Trump’s name on its facade until Oct. 8, extending a rare federal experiment in allowing a memorial to retain the identity assigned to it by Congress. The Trump-aligned board had sought to add “Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump” beneath the building’s existing name, but agreed to postpone the inscription after U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper asked what was “magic” about the original Sept. 8 deadline. Justice Department lawyers concluded that national security could withstand another month without emergency presidential lettering.
Trump praised the delay as proof that his name, like a luxury condominium or discontinued steak, gains value while waiting to be attached to public property. “We could put the name up immediately, and everybody wants it, but these are very important letters, probably the finest letters ever made,” Trump said. “Kennedy had the building for many years, which was very generous, and now I am generously giving him another month.” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who has called Trump the “greatest fundraiser and greatest builder ever,” assured Americans that the performing arts complex can endure several additional weeks without visibly thanking the sitting president for renovations that have not yet transformed it into a permanent campaign brochure.
Rep. Joyce Beatty has argued that federal law prevents the Kennedy memorial from being converted into a tasteful monument to whichever president most recently appointed its board. Administration officials countered that prolonged exposure to an unbranded cultural institution could confuse donors, weaken the marble and force theatergoers to evaluate performances without first expressing gratitude to Trump. The Justice Department has also warned that insufficient presidential recognition could reduce donations and leave the deteriorating building vulnerable to demolition, establishing name placement as the first known structural support system based entirely on flattery. Until October, visitors are advised to remain calm, follow the signs and remember that the Kennedy Center is still about Kennedy, an administrative oversight now entering its 55th year.
* None of the quotes in this article were spoken by an actual person. More info.