Trump showcases Kennedy Center marble armrests: 'Unlike anything ever done or seen before'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump has showcased potential marble armrests for the theater seats at the newly renamed Trump Kennedy Center, describing the design as "unlike anything ever done or seen before!" 

This reveal follows a period of intense change for the performing arts venue, which has seen its board replaced and its name expanded since President Trump took office in January.

Marble reveal amid legal battle over name

The President’s vision for the center includes the installation of custom black and white marble armrests, which he teased on Truth Social on Friday, December 26, as part of a broader effort to modernize the building. 

However, these aesthetic changes come as the board's decision to rename the venue to the Donald J Trump and the John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts faces a major legal challenge. 

Rep Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, a former board member, has filed a lawsuit arguing that "The Board’s purported renaming of the Kennedy Center violates federal law." 

The filing notes that "By statute, Congress has named the center as ‘the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.’ Under our constitutional system, only Congress can modify a statute, and Congress must do so by enacting a new statute." 

The lawsuit further contends that "Congress has not changed the Kennedy Center’s name," and that "Instead, Defendants are willfully flouting the law to satisfy Defendant Trump’s vanity."

Arts community rallies against building’s new name

While President Trump is focused on high-end interior upgrades, such as the new marble armrests, the centre is facing a wave of protests from the artistic community, specifically over the renaming.

In a direct act of protest, the host of a scheduled Christmas Eve jazz concert pulled out of the performance shortly after the President's name was added to the building's exterior. 

Ratings plummet for Trump’s Kennedy Center hosting debut

Earlier, President Trump’s hosting of the Kennedy Honors marked a notable shift for the annual event.

Trump became the first sitting President to personally host the awards show on December 23, having claimed that "everybody else in America" wanted him to take center stage. 

However, Nielsen data showed a significant 35 per cent drop in audience interest compared to the previous year. 

The broadcast recorded its lowest audience in history, averaging an estimated 2.65 million viewers. 

As reports noted, "To put that in perspective: the 2024 broadcast averaged 4.1 million." 

Furthermore, while President Trump delivered a 12-minute opening speech at the live ceremony on December 7, the television network CBS, significantly edited his appearance, cutting his remarks down to just two minutes for the final broadcast.