Republicans propose naming the Kennedy Center's opera house after Melania Trump
House Republicans tucked the provision by Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, into the bill that would fund the Department of the Interior, the EPA and other related agencies for the 2026 fiscal year, which begins in October. It was adopted as part of an amendment by the House Appropriations Committee in a 33-25 vote and the legislation was reported out of committee in a 33-28 vote. It would next head to the full House for a vote.
'First Lady Melania Trump serves as the Honorary Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Kennedy Center," Simpson, chair of the subcommittee that crafted the funding bill, said in a statement. "Naming a theater after her is an excellent way to recognize her appreciation for the arts."
When reached for comment, the Idaho Republican's spokesperson, Lexi Hamel, said that President Donald Trump did not request that Republicans make this proposal.
Simpson's subcommittee oversees federal funding for capital repairs, operations and maintenance at the Kennedy Center, which consists of three main theaters, including the Opera House. The theater was designed to host operas, ballets and musicals.
Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, ranking member on the subcommittee, said Tuesday during the full committee markup of the bill that she was "surprised" to find the Kennedy Center provision in the amendment and made clear she opposed it.
"The Republicans snuck in something that's slightly divisive, which is renaming one section of the Kennedy Center after a family member of this administration," said Pingree, who suggested that a congressional authorization is required anyway to rename any portion of the Kennedy Center.
The likelihood of the proposal becoming law is slim. While it's possible the overall funding bill could pass the Republican-controlled House, it will face an uphill climb in the Senate, where government funding bills need Democratic support to pass. Congress will need to pass another government spending bill by Sept. 30 to avoid a shutdown.
If the provision were to become law, however, it would further expand Trump's dominance over the cultural institution in downtown Washington. In February, the president appointed himself as board chair of the Kennedy Center and named new members of the Board of Trustees, including White House chief of staff Susie Wiles; Usha Vance, wife of Vice President JD Vance; and other Trump aides, Dan Scavino and Sergio Gor.
The White House didn't immediately return a request for comment about the GOP proposal.
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