House Republicans Push to Rename Kennedy Center Opera House in Honor of Melania Trump

A prominent Washington performance venue may soon carry the name of First Lady Melania Trump, under a new amendment advanced by House Republicans.

This week, the House Appropriations Committee voted 33–25 to approve a proposal that would rename the main opera venue at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as the “First Lady Melania Trump Opera House.” The amendment was part of the annual funding bill covering the Interior Department and related agencies.

The effort to recognize Mrs. Trump comes on the heels of President Trump’s recent overhaul of the Kennedy Center’s board—a move that drew criticism for breaking precedent, particularly after the president appointed himself as board chair and accused the institution of becoming too politically charged.

Last month, both Trump and Melania made a rare appearance at the Kennedy Center to attend opening night of Les Misérables, following years of skipping the annual Kennedy Center Honors, a tradition long attended by sitting presidents and first ladies.

Neither the Kennedy Center nor representatives for the former first lady have issued public comments regarding the proposed name change.

It remains uncertain when the full House will vote on the legislation that includes the amendment, but the proposal has already stirred conversation about reshaping the legacy of one of the nation’s most celebrated cultural landmarks.

The opera house, with seating for over 2,300 guests, is the second-largest theater in the Kennedy Center complex. It regularly hosts major opera and ballet productions and has been a home to some of the most high-profile performances in recent decades.

According to the Kennedy Center, the venue “has welcomed dozens of the world’s great dance and opera companies and has hosted some of the most important artistic events of the last quarter century.”

If passed, the renaming would mark a significant and symbolic shift—one that ties a historic arts institution to a modern political era.