Shorty after taking office, President Donald Trump fired all the centre’s board members, and replaced them with allies, who then voted to make Trump chairman of the board.
The president secured about $257 million in congressional funding to pay for major renovations and other costs at the venue.
The idea for a national performing arts centre began in the 1950s and when Kennedy, the 35th president, was assassinated in 1963, the venue was named in his honour.
