The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC has been officially renamed to include Donald Trump's name, sparking outrage and a deepening Senate investigation into allegations of cronyism and financial mismanagement by its new Trump-appointed leadership.
‘Their First Instinct Was to Loot’: Senate Probe Uncovers Preferential Treatment
The controversial change was announced on Thursday, 18 December, by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on X, who stated the board had voted unanimously for the renaming. By the following day, workers were already affixing new metal lettering to the building's facade, revealing the new title: ‘The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For the Performing Arts’. The move was swiftly condemned by the Kennedy family, who called it ‘beyond wild’ and noted that an act of Congress is legally required to alter the institution's name.
This takeover represents the culmination of a process that began in February 2025, which critics describe as a textbook case of institutional capture. Shortly after taking office, Trump ousted board members appointed by former President Joe Biden, assumed the role of chairman, and installed his longtime ally, former ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, as the Center's president.
In response, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) committee, launched a formal investigation in November. He alleges the national cultural centre is being operated as a ‘slush fund and private club for Trump’s friends and political allies’, leading to millions in losses.
‘When the brigands took the ship, their first instinct was to loot it for their own benefit,’ Whitehouse told the Guardian from his Capitol Hill office.
Free Access for FIFA and Discounts for Conservative Allies
A central charge of the probe focuses on the Kennedy Center providing preferential access and financial benefits to organisations connected to the Trump administration. A key example is a contract with FIFA, world football's governing body. Documents show Grenell granted FIFA free and exclusive use of the entire Kennedy Center campus from 24 November to 12 December for the World Cup draw.
Senator Whitehouse's estimates suggest this arrangement will cost the Center over $5 million in lost revenue from rental fees, rescheduled programming, labour, and other services. While Grenell and the Center's vice-president of public relations, Roma Daravi, claim FIFA gave ‘multimillions’ and covered all expenses, Whitehouse counters that this defence is unsubstantiated by any provided documentation.
Further contracts reveal steep rental discounts were given to conservative groups. NewsNation received a nearly $20,000 discount for a town hall, and the American Conservative Union Foundation got a $21,982.60 discount for a CPAC event. The contract files explicitly note the costs were waived by the ‘Office of the President’.
Lucrative Contracts and Luxury Hotel Stays Under Scrutiny
The investigation has also uncovered questionable contracts and spending. In April, the Center entered into a $15,000-per-month contract with a former colleague of Grenell's from his time in Germany, a deal Whitehouse's letter describes as ‘devoid of any detail’. Another contract, worth $10,833.33 per month, was awarded to Jeff Halperin, the husband of Trump ally Kari Lake, for social media services.
Significant expenditures on luxury hospitality have also been detailed. Between April and July, Grenell's team charged the Center $27,185 for rooms at the upscale Watergate Hotel, including multi-night stays and valet parking. A further $10,773.19 was spent on private lunches, dinners, and alcohol, with receipts showing charges for ‘Champagne Service’ and multi-bottle wine orders.
Grenell has fiercely defended his leadership, accusing Whitehouse of ‘partisan attacks’ and blaming previous management for leaving the Center in ‘financial chaos’. He insists his team is rectifying past neglect. Whitehouse, however, remains undeterred, stating there is ‘very little reason to believe that version of events is supported by facts’.
The Senate EPW committee investigation continues. ‘We’re going to continue to dig away until we’re sure that we understand the depths of the problem,’ Whitehouse said, framing the Kennedy Center saga as part of a broader ‘second term strategy of let Trump be Trump without guardrails’ that is impacting other cultural institutions like the Smithsonian.
