Kennedy Center renaming row: Who is on the board? Trump announcement raises questions

The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center following a decision by its board

Updated on: Dec 19, 2025, 01:35:54 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center following a decision by its board, which was reshaped earlier this year by President Donald Trump with a slate of political allies, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday.

The Kennedy Center is seen on Aug. 13, 2019, in Washington (AP)

"I have just been informed that the highly respected Board of the Kennedy Center, some of the most successful people from all parts of the world, have just voted unanimously to rename the Kennedy Center to the Trump-Kennedy Center, because of the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building," Leavitt said in a post on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

However, soon after the announcement, questions about the board were raised. “Who is on the board exactly?” one person asked on social media.

Here are all the board members of the Kennedy Center

Board of Trustees

Honorary Chairs

Melania Trump, First Lady of the United States

Dr. Jill Biden

Michelle Obama

Laura Bush

Hillary Rodham Clinton

The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees

Officers

President Donald J. Trump — Chair

Richard Grenell — President

Jennifer Fischer — Vice Chair

Sergio Gor — Secretary

John Falconetti — Treasurer

Elliot Berke — General Counsel

Members Appointed by the President of the United States

Brian D. Ballard

Maria Bartiromo

Pamela Bondi

Mary Helen Bowers

Hannah F. Buchan

Robert Castellani

Elaine Chao

Pamella Roland DeVos

Patricia Duggan

John Falconetti

Emilia May Fanjul

Jennifer Fischer

Lynette Friess

Sergio Gor

Pamela Gross

Lee Greenwood

Kate Adamson Haselwood

Laura Ingraham

Michele Kessler

Dana Kraft

Mindy Levine

Lynda Lomangino

Barbara Long

Allison Lutnick

Douglas Manchester

Catherine B. Reynolds

Denise Saul

Dan Scavino

Cheri Summerall

President Donald J. Trump

Usha Vance

Susie Wiles

Andrea Wynn

Paolo Zampolli

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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