Oh, this one’s got all the makings of a political food fight — symbolism, family dynasties, Trumpian trolling, and liberals absolutely losing their minds.
Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO) just introduced a bill that would rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as the Donald J. Trump Center for the Performing Arts. And if that wasn’t enough to make Beltway heads explode, he called Trump “a patron of the arts and a staple of the pop-culture landscape.” The bill’s name? The Make Entertainment Great Again Act — because of course it is.
Onder didn’t hold back: “I cannot think of a more ubiquitous symbol of American exceptionalism in the arts, entertainment, and popular culture at large than President Trump.” Translation: buckle up, coastal elites, we’re putting Trump in your temple.
This isn’t the first time Republicans have taken a swing at the Kennedy Center’s identity. House Appropriations Committee Republicans previously slipped in an amendment to rename a performance hall inside the building as the First Lady Melania Trump Opera House — a nod to Melania’s involvement in promoting the arts.
And predictably, the Kennedys are furious. Jack Schlossberg, JFK’s grandson, fired off on social media:
“A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces — but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers. The Trump administration stands for freedom of oppression, not expression.”
Maria Shriver didn’t hold back either, calling the move “insane,” “ridiculous,” and “petty.”
To which Trump supporters would likely respond: “Mission accomplished.”
It’s worth noting that Trump has already shaken up the Kennedy Center in ways no president ever has. Back in February, he fired the entire board, saying they were too “woke,” and installed himself as chair. In March, he toured the building and blasted its condition, calling it “in tremendous disrepair” and promising to fix it up.
For context: the Kennedy Center was opened in 1971 as a “living memorial” to JFK — a champion of the arts. But now? It’s ground zero for a cultural clash.
