What did she do again?: Republicans announce Melania Trump’s cultural achievement while quietly pocketing $72 million

House Republicans have approved a proposal to name the opera house at the Kennedy Center after First Lady Melania Trump. The amendment, introduced by Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho, passed with a vote of 33-25 in the House Appropriations Committee.

According to Deadline, the move comes shortly after Donald Trump took control of the Kennedy Center in the early weeks of his second term, removing Joe Biden’s appointees from the board and positioning himself as chairman. The center traditionally maintained a bipartisan balance among its trustees before this change.

While Republicans push forward with plans to honor Melania Trump, who serves as the Kennedy Center’s honorary chairwoman, they simultaneously cut funding to national arts programs by $72 million. The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities will each see their budgets reduced from $207 million to $135 million in the next fiscal year.

Kennedy Center receives major funding boost despite arts cuts nationwide

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, recently passed under Trump’s administration, allocated nearly $257 million for Kennedy Center renovations. This substantial funding increase stands in stark contrast to the cuts facing other arts organizations across the country.

Democratic Representative Chellie Pingree from Maine criticized the decision, pointing out that Republicans have given the president six times the normal amount of money to run the Kennedy Center, with limited oversight on how the funds will be spent. She also expressed concern about the authority granted over naming rights and board appointments.

Simpson defended the naming proposal as an “excellent way to recognize her support and commitment to promoting the arts.” The opera house, which would bear Melania Trump’s name, is the second-largest venue at the Kennedy Center.

The proposal still faces several hurdles before becoming final, as Congress continues its budget process leading up to the September 30 deadline. Democrats may have more influence in the Senate, where 60 votes are required to overcome a filibuster. The Kennedy Center currently has two other main venues: the concert hall and the Eisenhower Theater, named after President Dwight D. Eisenhower.