TELL CONGRESS: Trump cronies rigged the Kennedy Center board vote to illegally change the name of the cherished American institution. Trump is putting his far-right MAGA stamp on everything, but Sen. Bernie Sanders has a bill to stop him. Sign the petition: Reverse Trump’s illegal name change at the Kennedy Center!

Trump sycophants at the Kennedy Center rigged the vote to illegally change the name of the cultural institution to bear the name of the strongman in the White House.1

How did they do it? Trump allies at the Kennedy Center quietly altered the bylaws of the board of directors so that only Trump’s appointees have voting power — blocking all independent board members from having a say.2

Trump is remaking America in his image — a serious danger to our democracy. Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio is suing Trump over the Kennedy Center name change.3 Senator Bernie Sanders just introduced a bill to reverse the change and stop Trump from renaming more historic buildings after himself.4 Congress must get behind undoing this disgraceful act and stopping Trump’s authoritarian tactics.

Sign the petition: Stop Trump’s illegal name change at the Kennedy Center! End Trump’s renaming of historic buildings now.

“It’s no secret that President Trump is undermining democracy and moving this country toward authoritarianism. Part of that strategy is to create the myth of the ‘Great Leader’ by naming public buildings after himself — something that dictators have done throughout history,” Sen. Sanders said after introducing his bill, the SERVE Act. “For Trump to put his name on federal buildings is arrogant and it is illegal. We must put an end to this narcissism — and that’s what this bill does.”5

Attendance at the Kennedy Center dropped significantly after Trump added his name. Artists are cancelling their performances en masse in protest.6

Trump hammered his name into the Kennedy Center as he destroyed the East Wing of the White House to build a $300 million corporate-funded gold-plated ballroom. Trump put on a grotesque military parade on his birthday and paved over the Rose Garden. The White House and Trump’s loyalists in Congress want to put his name and face on just about everything — money, airports, a new class of U.S. battleships, and Mount Rushmore.7,8

These are the glorification projects of an authoritarian. Congress must protect the law, democracy, and America’s most important historical and cultural institutions from Trump.

Sign the petition: Get Trump’s name off of the Kennedy Center and stop him from renaming more historic buildings.

Thanks for taking action,

Joey and the Demand Progress team

Sources:

  1. The Washington Post, "Kennedy Center changed board rules months before vote to add Trump’s name,” December 31, 2025.
  2. Ibid.
  3. NPR, "Democratic lawmaker files lawsuit challenging the renaming of the Kennedy Center,” December 24, 2025.
  4. Burlington Free Press, "Bernie Sanders's bill would reverse Trump-Kennedy Center re-naming,” January 14, 2026.
  5. Sen. Sanders Press Release, "NEWS: Sanders, Van Hollen, Alsobrooks Introduce Bill to Ban Presidents from Naming Buildings After Themselves,” January 13, 2026.
  6. USA Today, "All the performers who canceled shows at Trump's Kennedy Center,” January 10, 2026.
  7. The Guardian, "‘Golden crime scene’: Elizabeth Warren calls for inquiry into Trump’s ballroom funding,” November 20, 2025.
  8. Newsweek, "Full List of GOP Bills to Put Trump’s Name or Face on Things,” July 28, 2025.

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