The House Appropriations Committee voted Tuesday to rename the Kennedy Center Opera House after first lady Melania Trump, approving an amendment by Rep. Mike Simpson (R‑ID) as part of the fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.
The House Appropriations Committee voted 33 to 28 to advance a bill Tuesday that would officially designate the Kennedy Center’s Opera House as the “First Lady Melania Trump Opera House.” The move, championed by Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), aligns with the Trump administration’s broader efforts to reshape the Kennedy Center into a family-focused, faith-friendly cultural institution and has already drawn backlash from left-wing artists and Democrat lawmakers in response to other recent changes.
“First Lady Melania Trump serves as the Honorary Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Kennedy Center,” stated Simpson, who chairs the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. “Naming a theater after her is an excellent way to recognize her appreciation for the arts.”
Simpson’s amendment was attached to the FY26 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which governs funding for the federally owned Kennedy Center. The new designation would mark the first time a Kennedy Center theater carries the name of a Trump family member, a symbolic shift as President Donald Trump continues to purge the venue of radical ideology.
Under Trump’s leadership, the Kennedy Center has canceled drag events targeting children, eliminated its controversial “Social Impact” department, fired former president Deborah Rutter, and embraced Christian programming, including a sold-out screening of Angel Studios’ The King of Kings. “This is family-friendly programming that we will be doing more of in the future,” said Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell. “The American people want to see more shows that reflect their values.”
Democrats and progressive celebrities have responded with outrage. Broadway star and Disney actress Patti LuPone told the New Yorker the “Trumpified” Kennedy Center “should get blown up.” Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and producer Jeffrey Seller pulled their production from the venue, and drag queens protested the First Family’s attendance at Les Misérables last month.
When asked by a journalist about actors boycotting the Les Misérables performance during his visit to the Kennedy Center, Trump responded: “I couldn’t care less. All I do is run the country well.”
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