The White House came under immediate fire after announcing that the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, chaired by President Donald Trump, voted to rename the iconic cultural institution the Trump-Kennedy Center. It is unclear if the new name is lawful.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote, “I have just been informed that the highly respected Board of the Kennedy Center, some of the most successful people from all parts of the world, have just voted unanimously to rename the Kennedy Center to the Trump-Kennedy Center, because of the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building.”

“Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation,” she added. “Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur.”

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Less than one month after he was sworn into office, President Trump dismissed the board of the Kennedy Center and installed some of his close confidants, including Richard Grenell and Susie Wiles. He also dismissed board members who had been nominated by President Joe Biden.

“Officials did not immediately cite an authority for the board’s ability to change the institution’s name,” The Washington Post reported on Thursday. It is possible any change would require congressional approval.

Critics were quick to register concerns.

Punchbowl News co-founder Jake Sherman noted, “The building is statutorily named the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Congress did not give the board the authority to change the name.”

Associated Press reporter Mike Sisak observed: “A living memorial to a slain president is being co-opted into a living tribute to the current president.”

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Dartmouth political scientist Brendan Nyhan added, “A vast and growing authoritarian cult of personality. Literally un-American in its lack of fealty to the norms of the country going back to Washington himself.”

Spectrum News national political reporter Taylor Popielarz remarked: “First, President Trump:
– Took over the Kennedy Center board
– Named himself chair
– Fired its members
– Installed allies to it
– Hosted the Kennedy Center Honors
Now, the board votes to rename the performing arts center after…Trump.”

U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), an ex officio member of the board, expressed her concerns on social media, and said that she and others were not allowed to speak on the call.

“Participants were not allowed to voice their concerns,” she noted.

For the record. This was not unanimous. I was muted on the call and not allowed to speak or voice my opposition to this move. Also for the record, this was not on the agenda. https://t.co/D1zGV7xiWV pic.twitter.com/vmq74mxpqT

— Rep. Joyce Beatty (@RepBeatty) December 18, 2025

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A prominent Democratic U.S. senator answered President Donald Trump’s attack with an unusual response: come to church to “meet the Jesus I know.”

On Wednesday, President Trump accused Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA), who is also the Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, of “using Religion to try and divide the Country!”

Trump said that after appearing on “Meet the Press,” Senator Warnock “ended by saying that he was going to his Church to preach now, and while I think that’s fine, I do say, ‘What ever happened to separation of Church and State?'”

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“That would be the first thing they would use against us but, actually, it’s something that never much bothered me,” Trump wrote, before labeling Warnock “a bad guy.”

The president went on to attack NBC News and ABC News, charging that they “should be ashamed of themselves in allowing garbage ‘interviews’ with untalented and uncaring people to take place.”

In a statement reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Greg Bluestein, Warnock said that on “Meet the Press,” he “discussed his recent address at the Center for American Progress on healing America’s spiritual crisis by restoring economic opportunity for millions of Americans.”

“He’s got a lot of nerve,” Warnock then said of Trump.

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“Remember, this is the same president who literally had peaceful protesters gassed and beaten so he could stand in front of a church holding a Bible up,” Warnock charged.

“He ought to read that Bible that he was holding up on that day. That Bible says that Jesus came to preach good news to the poor. He came to heal the sick. He never billed them for his services. He stood up for the weak, the marginalized, average, ordinary people,” he wrote.

“Mr. President,” Warnock declared, “my faith is not a weapon, it’s a bridge, and I invite you to Bible study. Maybe you can meet the Jesus I know.”

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There is bipartisan support for President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement that roughly 1.5 million U.S. service members will receive $1,776 bonus checks, but some are also questioning where the money is coming from, since Congress approved no such bonus payout.

According to Defense One, Congress did approve the funds, but for an entirely different purpose: military housing allowances.

“Because of tariffs, along with the just passed One Big, Beautiful Bill,” Trump told the nation during Wednesday’s primetime TV address, “tonight, I am also proud to announce that more than 1,450,000, think of this, 1,450,000 military service members will receive a special we call ‘Warrior Dividend’ before Christmas, a Warrior dividend. In honor of our nation’s founding in 1776, we are sending every soldier $1,776.”

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“Think of that,” he added. “And the checks are already on the way.”

Despite Trump’s claim, the funds reportedly are not coming from tariffs.

“Congress appropriated $2.9 billion to the Department of War to supplement the Basic Allowance for Housing entitlement within The One Big Beautiful Bill,” a senior administration official told Defense One. “Approximately 1.28 million active component military members and 174,000 Reserve component military members will receive this supplement.”

That official also announced that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Pentagon to “disburse $2.6 billion as a one-time basic allowance for housing supplement” to all eligible service members.

“The $2.9 billion meant to subsidize the basic allowance for housing,” Defense One reported, “the monthly payment to cover troops’ off-base expenses such as rent, mortgage, and utilities known as BAH, comes as some service members have struggled to make the most of the benefit.”

While the funds remained within military compensation they were shifted away from housing support toward one-time cash payments.

Critics are blasting not the bonuses, but the diverting and “repackaging” of congressionally-approved funds.

READ MORE: Trump Reveals White House’s ‘Primary’ Policy Goal — And It Isn’t Cutting Costs

“I’m not opposed to anything that helps the troops, but it should be substantive help rather than a publicity stunt,” wrote retired U.S. Air Force colonel Moe Davis, a Democrat running for Congress. “Pay them enough so their families don’t rely on nutritional assistance. Fully fund the VA to take care of them longterm.”

The Bulwark’s Sam Stein wrote, “so it’s not a bonus. it’s taking money from one account for the troops and giving it to them as checks.”

“I was wondering how Trump found his troop pay money without a congressional authorization/appropriation,” remarked The Atlantic’s David Frum. “He found it by taking it away from troop housing money. Always a con artist.”

MSNOW anchor Catherine Rampell, an economics editor for The Bulwark, noted: So…not a bonus. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, who are in this case the same person.”

“Hi! I love the troops so much I will take $1,776 out of their pockets to give them a $1,776 check with my name on it,” snarked HuffPost White House corespondent S.V. Dáte.

“Classic Trump,” commented former GOP Congressman Joe Walsh. “Everything he does is a lie, everything he does is just b– repackaging.”

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