The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the United States' national cultural center and "living memorial" to the former president, opened on September 8, 1971, on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. As the residence of the National Symphony Orchestra, it operates under a public–private partnership, funding its programming through ticket sales and private gifts while relying on federal dollars for building maintenance. Originally designed by Edward Durell Stone, it gained a new extension by Steven Holl in 2019, and notable leadership included Lawrence Wilker as its first president (1991) and Deborah Rutter as its first female president in 2014. A major controversy erupted in 2025 when President Donald Trump dismissed the center's trustees, had himself elected chairman, and added his name to the venue—a move later ruled illegal, causing ticket sales to plummet and the Washington National Opera to end its residency. Trump then announced a two-year closure in 2026, but in May 2026, U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper blocked the closure and ordered the removal of Trump's name, which was finally carried out in June. This ensures the center's future, leaving its rich history from Eleanor Roosevelt's 1930s vision intact while marking a pivotal chapter of political struggle.