President Donald Trump drew sharp criticism from television hosts, legal commentators and cultural figures after announcing plans to rebrand the Kennedy Center with his own name, a move that reignited debates over executive authority, federal law and political decorum. The backlash intensified after the announcement coincided with a recent death in the Kennedy family, further amplifying public reaction.
The controversy unfolded publicly on The View, where co-hosts devoted a segment to the proposed renaming of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which has been designated by federal statute as a national memorial. The discussion highlighted both legal objections and moral criticism surrounding the timing and substance of the decision.
Sunny Hostin, a former federal prosecutor, questioned the legality of the move, stating: "Well, I think it's illegal." She followed by saying, "It's illegal. Federal law designated the Kennedy Centre as a national memorial and you can't change the name of a national memorial without Congress." Her remarks focused attention on statutory limits governing federally designated cultural institutions.
Hostin also raised broader constitutional concerns, arguing that judicial decisions had emboldened the administration. "I'm starting to blame the Supreme Court, because the Supreme Court said he could do whatever he wants to do and he took them seriously," she said, framing the rebrand as part of a wider erosion of institutional checks.
Whoopi Goldberg responded with pointed commentary questioning presidential authority over public assets. "You're not supposed to," she said, before adding sarcastically, "I'm gonna put my name up on there. John F. Kennedy memorial... and Whoopi, too!" Later in the segment, Goldberg pressed further: "This is not your country. You don't own it. You can't just put your name on anything you want to put your name on-you didn't pay for it."
Concerns over the durability of the rebrand were raised by Sara Haines, who noted that any name change lacking congressional approval could be reversed. "A name that's not congressionally approved can just be knocked off with the next administration," she said, before adding, "No, it looks petty to put your name in front of Kennedy!"
The timing of the announcement emerged as a central issue during the discussion. Alyssa Farah Griffin referenced the recent death of Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of President John F. Kennedy. "The tone deafness... It's just wrong," Griffin said. "If there was ever a time to honour the Kennedy family and stay silent, that would have been it."
The most direct characterization came from Ana Navarro, who said: "It's very dictator-like to stamp your name on everything." Navarro added, "I think he's particularly obsessed with the Kennedys and the Obamas. I think he so badly wants their level of legacy."
Questions also emerged about financing and accountability for the rebrand. Goldberg asked on air: "Who's paying for all of this?" and added, "If they're paying for all of this, we should be getting money back." Her remarks underscored concerns that taxpayer-funded institutions could be altered without transparency or legislative oversight.
