President John F. Kennedy’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg, has publicly criticized a proposal by House Republicans to rename the Kennedy Center Opera House after First Lady Melania Trump, citing federal law as a barrier to this action.
On July 22, 2025, Republican members of the House Appropriations Committee voted 33-25, largely along party lines, to advance an amendment to rename 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 in a spending bill for the Department of the Interior and Environmental Protection Agency.
On July 23, 2025, Schlossberg posted on Instagram, accusing President Trump of an obsession with overshadowing his grandfather’s legacy. The 32-year-old Harvard Law School graduate claimed that the Trump Administration promotes “freedom of oppression” rather than “expression,” and that the president uses his authority to stifle free speech and instill fear.
In a separate post, Schlossberg referenced a federal statute from December 2, 1983, which states, “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.” He stated, “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 after his assassination. Construction began that year, and the center opened in 1971. Public Law 88-260 designated the performing arts center as an interactive memorial for the late president, explaining the statutory prohibition on additional memorials within the venue.
Earlier this year, President Trump replaced most of the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees with his supporters and subsequently asked the new board members to elect him as chairman. This action has been met with criticism from many in the arts community who oppose the president’s involvement.
Representative Simpson defended the amendment, stating it aimed 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 the naming as a fitting tribute to her appreciation for the arts.
In his Instagram message, Schlossberg highlighted his grandfather’s commitment to the arts as a means to promote civil rights and oppose authoritarian regimes. He noted that President Kennedy faced political backlash for inviting Black artists to the White House, including the Staples Singers, and for supporting artists like Harry Belafonte and James Baldwin on international tours.
The Kennedy Center controversy coincides with Schlossberg’s 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 responded on social media, recalling early memories of his uncle, including being called “Jackolatern” and being picked up from school in a Pontiac convertible.
Schlossberg remembered serving as a ring bearer at Kennedy Jr.’s wedding and the day his uncle died in a 1999 plane crash. He criticized Murphy for profiting from his uncle’s story without contributing to the causes Kennedy Jr. supported or his legacy of public service.
In a social media post on July 24, 2025, Schlossberg offered President Trump a deal regarding the Kennedy Center naming issue. He suggested that if Trump released files related to Jeffrey Epstein, he would assist in achieving what he characterized as Trump’s 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 it can be enacted. The proposal is anticipated to reach the House floor for a vote when Congress returns from its August recess in September 2025.
Representative Greg Casar, a progressive Democrat from Texas, criticized the Republican initiative as indicative of misguided priorities, noting that 17 million people face potential health care losses while the focus is 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 received mixed reactions from the audience, with both cheers and boos. Several cast members boycotted the performance in protest of the Trumps’ presence.
