President John F. Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg launched a scathing response to House Republicans’ proposal to rename the Kennedy Center Opera House after First Lady Melania Trump, citing federal law that he claims prohibits such action.
On July 22, 2025, Republican lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee voted 33-25 largely along party lines to advance an amendment that would designate the Kennedy Center’s second-largest theater as the “First Lady Melania Trump Opera House.” Representative Mike Simpson, a Republican from Idaho, introduced the proposal as part of a spending bill for the Department of the Interior and Environmental Protection Agency.
Schlossberg responded with a lengthy Instagram post on July 23, 2025, accusing President Trump of being obsessed with surpassing his grandfather’s legacy. The 32-year-old Harvard Law School graduate argued that the Trump Administration represents freedom of oppression rather than expression, claiming the president uses his powers to suppress free speech and instill fear.
In a separate Instagram post, Schlossberg highlighted a federal statute from December 2, 1983, stating that “no additional memorials or plaques in the nature of memorials shall be designated or installed in the public areas of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.” Schlossberg declared: “Plain reading of the statute makes clear — YOU CAN’T DO THAT.”
The Kennedy Center was established in 1964 as a living memorial to president Kennedy following his assassination. Construction began that year, and the center opened in 1971. Public Law 88-260 designated the performing arts center specifically as an interactive memorial for the late president, which explains the statutory prohibition against additional memorials within the facility.
Earlier this year, President Trump fired most of the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees and appointed his supporters to replace them. He subsequently asked the new board members to elect him as chairman of the institution. This takeover has drawn criticism from many in the arts community who oppose the president’s involvement in the cultural center.
Representative Simpson defended his amendment in a statement, indicating he wanted to honor Melania Trump for her role as Honorary Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Kennedy Center. Simpson, who chairs the House committee overseeing federal funding for the Kennedy Center’s capital repairs and operations, described naming a theater after the First Lady as an excellent way to recognize her appreciation for the arts.
In his Instagram statement, Schlossberg emphasized his grandfather’s commitment to the arts as a tool for civil rights and resistance against authoritarian governments. He noted that President Kennedy faced political criticism for inviting Black artists to the White House, including the Staples Singers, and for supporting performers like Harry Belafonte and James Baldwin on global tours.
The Kennedy Center controversy emerged amid Schlossberg’s separate dispute with producer Ryan Murphy over an upcoming FX series about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Murphy commented on a podcast that he found it odd for Schlossberg to be upset about a relative he doesn’t remember. Schlossberg fired back on social media, detailing his earliest memories of his uncle calling him “Jackolatern” and picking him up from school in his Pontiac convertible.
Schlossberg recalled serving as ring bearer at Kennedy Jr.’s wedding and remembering the day his uncle died in the 1999 plane crash. He criticized Murphy for profiting from his uncle’s story without contributing to the causes Kennedy Jr. championed or supporting his legacy of public service.
In a provocative social media post on July 24, 2025, Schlossberg offered President Trump a deal regarding the Kennedy Center naming controversy. He suggested that if Trump releases files related to Jeffrey Epstein, he would help the President achieve what Schlossberg characterized as Trump’s lifelong goal of changing the Kennedy Center’s name.
The amendment to rename the Opera House requires further approval from the full House and Senate before becoming law. The proposal is expected to reach the House floor for a vote when Congress returns from August recess in September 2025.
Representative Greg Casar, a progressive Democrat from Texas, criticized the Republican initiative as emblematic of misguided priorities, noting that 17 million people face potential health care losses while Republicans focus on renaming the Kennedy Center Opera House.
President Trump and Melania Trump attended a performance of “Les Misérables” at the Kennedy Center in early June 2025. Their appearance drew mixed reactions from the audience, with both cheers and boos greeting the first couple. Several cast members boycotted the performance in protest of the Trumps’ presence.
