Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee have approved an amendment that would rename the opera house in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as the “First Lady Melania Trump Opera House.”
The panel voted 33-25 on Tuesday to approve the amendment, which included other changes to the interior and the environment.
“This is an excellent way to recognize [the first lady's] support and commitment to promoting the arts,” Rep. Mike Simpson, R-ID, chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, told ABC News.
Last month, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attended the opening night of “Les Misérables” at the Kennedy Center. This writer was in the press pool for this event. That night, Trump spoke to reporters about his plans to revive the Kennedy Center.
.@POTUS answers questions from reporters about reviving the Kennedy Center and speaks on the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/6chYpPuyyb
— Madeline Leesman (@MadelineLeesman) June 11, 2025
Of course, Democrats did not appear on board with this idea.
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Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, claimed that Republicans "snuck in" the "divisive" proposal to change the name of the Opera House.
“The Republicans have now given the president six times the normal amount of money to run the Kennedy Center, carte blanche over who will be on the board, and how different parts of the Kennedy Center -- perhaps the whole Kennedy Center itself -- will be named, and this amendment confirms that,” Pingree reportedly said in subcommittee hearing.
Legislation championed by Trump and congressional Republicans included $257 million for Kennedy Center repairs and restoration.
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