House Republicans Advance Proposal to Rename Kennedy Center Opera House After Melania Trump
A key venue at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts may soon bear a new name honoring former First Lady Melania Trump, under a proposal backed by House Republicans.
Members of the House Appropriations Committee voted 33–25 on Tuesday to approve an amendment that would officially rename the Kennedy Center’s opera house as the “First Lady Melania Trump Opera House.” The change was included in the annual funding bill for the Interior Department and related agencies.
The move comes just months after President Trump made headlines by restructuring the Kennedy Center’s board and appointing himself as chairman an unprecedented decision that sparked criticism from some in the arts community. Trump accused the institution of leaning too heavily into politics and claimed it had become overly “woke.”
Both the president and Melania Trump made a rare public appearance at the Kennedy Center last month, attending the opening night of Les Misérables. During Trump’s first term, the couple broke with tradition by skipping the annual Kennedy Center Honors, an event typically attended by sitting presidents and first ladies.
Representatives for the Kennedy Center and the former First Lady’s office have not yet commented on the potential renaming of the venue.
It remains to be seen when House leadership will bring the legislation, including the amendment, to a full vote on the chamber floor. If passed, the change would mark a significant and controversial shift in how one of Washington’s most iconic cultural spaces is recognized.