For many observers, the announcement felt like another provocative move from a president known for courting controversy. Critics have already mocked what they describe as Trump’s fondness for self-branding, pointing to previous efforts to leave his personal stamp on public spaces. Still, even among those accustomed to such behavior, the idea of placing Trump’s name alongside John F. Kennedy’s at one of the nation’s most revered cultural institutions struck a nerve.

According to reporting by The Washington Post, the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees justified its decision by crediting Trump with efforts they say saved the institution from financial collapse and physical deterioration. However, critics have been quick to note that Trump currently serves as chairman of the board, personally selected 14 new board members, and has openly expressed his desire for years to see his name attached to the building. To many, these factors have cast doubt on the independence of the decision-making process.

The backlash from the Kennedy family was swift and intense. Maria Shriver, the niece of President John F. Kennedy and a longtime critic of Donald Trump, took to social media to voice her outrage. In an impassioned post, she wrote that it was “beyond wild” for Trump to believe that adding his name ahead of her uncle’s would be acceptable. She emphasized that such an act was not only inappropriate but deeply disrespectful to the legacy of a president whose name the center was meant to honor.