Trump SLAMMED as Senate BLOCKS His Kennedy Center Takeover | Jimmy Kimmel

Hello everyone, this is Jimmy Kimmel. Listen, I need to tell you about something that happened this week that is absolutely wild. Trump just crossed a line and this time he hit a wall. He put his name on the Kennedy Center. Yeah, you heard that right. Overnight, no warning, no asking Congress.

He slapped Trump in gold letters on a historic memorial. Can he do that? What's the Senate saying? And most importantly, will that name stay there? I'm about to tell you the truth. Because this isn't just about a name change. This is about testing the limits of power and the results affect all of us.

Welcome to Kimmel in Focus. We don't sugarcoat things here. We tell it straight. If you haven't subscribed yet, hit that button right now because I'm going to walk you through every detail of this story. Subscribe, turn on notifications. Let's get into it.

Thursday evening, something happened. The Kennedy Center's official website changed. The name now read, The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Trump's name first, Kennedy second. New signs went up outside the building.

Everything happened in one night. Planned, fast, decisive. Trump didn't ask Congress, didn't ask the American people. He just had his hand-picked board vote, and of course it passed unanimously, because everyone on that board are Trump loyalists. Nobody says no.

But here's where it gets interesting. Who created the Kennedy Center? Congress. In 1964, two months after JFK's assassination, it was established by federal law. The name was set by federal law. This isn't private property. It's not Trump's hotel. It belongs to the American people. So can a president change a name that Congress put there?

The answer is simple. No. Let me explain how this works. In America, national memorials are protected by law. To change them requires new legislation and to pass new legislation you need 60 votes in the Senate. Can Trump get that? Absolutely not. Democrats are already against it.

But it's not just Democrats. Some Republicans are uncomfortable too. Because this sets a precedent. Tomorrow another president comes in, changes Reagan National Airport, adds their name to the Lincoln Memorial. Once you open that door it's hard to close.

The Senate spoke clearly. This isn't legal. Congressional approval is required. Trump can put up all the signs he wants, but that name change isn't legally valid. What did the Kennedy family do? They reacted immediately. Maria Shriver, JFK's niece, posted on social media, I can't comprehend this. It's unbelievable. What's next? Is he going to rename the Lincoln Memorial the Trump Lincoln Memorial? Kerry Kennedy went even further.

The moment Trump's term ends I'm taking that sign down. And she wasn't joking because that sign isn't legal. It's just a sticker. A temporary show for Trump's ego. Why did Trump do this? Simple answer.

Legacy. He wants to be remembered. He wants his name everywhere. But here's the problem. Presidents are usually memorialized after they die. After their service ends, after their legacy settles. Trump wants it now, while he's still in office. This isn't

normal, this isn't healthy, and most importantly, this isn't legal. People in Washington, D.C. reacted. One woman told reporters, I will never set foot in that building as long as his name is on it. My heart is broken. This is disrespectful to Kennedy's memory. And she's right. The Kennedy Center isn't just a building. It symbolizes JFK's support for culture and the arts. A president was assassinated and the American people built this center to honor him. Now Trump comes along, puts his name in front. Is that right? Of course not. But Trump doesn't care. Trump only looks at what he wants

and he gets what he wants. Until the Senate stepped up. Let me tell you something, Trump's move has zero legal foundation, zero. The Kennedy Center Board can vote all they want but without congressional approval that name change isn't valid. It's just an image, a PR stunt, not reality. So what happens now? A few options. Congress could pass legislation explicitly blocking the rename or they could do nothing and this name hangs in limbo, not legal but physically there, until someone takes those signs down. And that will probably happen when Trump's term ends, because

the next administration's first move will be removing those signs, I guarantee it. But the real question is this, why did Trump do it? Just ego? Yes, partly, but there's something deeper. Trump thinks the rules don't apply to him. He thinks as president he can do anything. And if we allow this, he'll go further. Tomorrow he'll change another memorial. Next day he'll put his name on another building. No limits. But the Senate stopped him. No, stop right here, they said. And that's crucial. Because in democracies, power must be balanced. The president can't do whatever he wants. Congress checks, the people check, institutions check.

Trump doesn't understand this or doesn't want to, but the Senate's resistance shows the system still works. Not everything is lost yet. Let me tell you another truth. The Kennedy Center isn't just a building, it's one of American democracy's symbols.

Culture, art, freedom, JFK believed in these things and the American people love him for it. What business does Trump have there? None. Trump doesn't value art, doesn't value culture. He only values seeing his name in big letters. And that's why this fight matters. It's not just about a name, it's about values. Trump is trying to reshape America in his own image, and we must not allow that. What can we do? First, stay informed, follow these stories,

then react, write to our representatives, call them, and most importantly, vote. The 2026 midterms are coming. Congress can change, the Senate can change. If Democrats take control, stronger measures can be taken against Trump's moves like this.

If not, Trump will act with even more freedom. That's why elections matter. Every vote counts. And the way to win this fight is through the ballot box. Now let me tell you something else. Is there another plan behind Trump's move?

Maybe. Maybe he wants to distract. Because right now, Trump's in trouble. The economy's bad. Inflation's high. Foreign policy crisis.

War threats with Venezuela. And what's Trump doing? Putting his name on the Kennedy Center. Why? Because he wants people talking about this. He wants them distracted from real problems. And it's partly working, but we shouldn't fall for it. Yes, the Kennedy Center issue matters, but we can't forget the real problems.

Prices are rising. People can't make ends meet. Health care is unaffordable. And instead of solving these, Trump's writing his name on buildings. This isn't leadership, this is narcissism. And the American people deserve better. Will Trump win this fight?

No. The Senate won't let him. The Kennedy family won't let him. The American people won't let him. That sign might stay there a few years, but eventually it's coming down because it's not legal, because it's not right.

And what will Trump's legacy be? That's interesting. Trump wants to go down in history, but how? As a great leader? No, as someone who broke rules, weakened institutions, put his ego before everything. Is that the legacy he wants? Maybe yes.

Maybe Trump doesn't care. Maybe he just wants to look powerful right now, but history is unforgiving, and what Trump does won't be forgotten. Let me wrap this story up. name on the Kennedy Center. There's no legal basis. The Senate's opposing it. The Kennedy family's opposing it. A large part of the American people are opposing it. But Trump doesn't care because Trump plays by his own rules and that's

dangerous because in democracy everyone must follow the rules including the president. Maybe especially the president because the president must set an example for the people. But Trump isn't an example. Trump is a warning. A warning that says this is how you shouldn't do things and we need to learn this lesson. The Kennedy Center issue will end. Somehow it will be resolved.

But the real question is what happens next? What else will Trump do? What other boundary will he push? What other institution will he weaken? And will we let him? That's the real question because Trump is testing how far he can go.

And if we don't react, he'll go further. Let me tell you more. This event isn't isolated. It's part of Trump's broader strategy. He's building a $300 million ballroom at the White House. He demolished the historic East Wing. Now he's putting his name on the Kennedy Center.

What's he doing? Reshaping everything for himself. And this reshaping has a cost. Who's paying for that White House ballroom? Corporations. Amazon, Apple, Meta, Comcast. Why? Because they need the government.

They need permits, regulations, deals. And what does Trump give them? Access. Private dinners, meetings, photo ops, all happening in that ballroom. Corporate names will be engraved on the walls,

a complete corruption showcase. But Trump makes it seem normal. Private funding, he says. No taxpayer money, he says. But the truth is, these companies aren't just giving money, they're buying influence, buying policy, buying the future. And the Kennedy Center issue follows the same logic.

What's Trump doing by putting his name there, showing his power, saying, I can break the rules, and saying nobody can stop me? And some people believe it, but reality is different. The Senate said stop, the Kennedy family said stop, the American people said stop and now Trump's cornered because that sign might be there but it's not legal, not

legitimate. Why does Trump act this way? Why is he so obsessed with putting his name everywhere? The answer is psychological. Trump's entire life is built on branding. He wants to see his name everywhere because it gives him power, importance, but the presidency is different. The presidency means serving the people, not glorifying yourself. Trump doesn't understand this or doesn't want to and the result chaos, crisis, confusion. Let me tell you how the

media is handling this. Some channels made it big news, rightfully so, because it is big news, but some channels stayed quiet. Why? Because they fear Trump. They fear losing access. And that's where we come in. Independent media, media that speaks without fear, media that tells you the

truth, Kimmel and Focus is that kind of channel, and that's why it matters. Trump put his name on the Kennedy Center earlier this week, a board meeting happened, it passed unanimously. But there was one person who was silenced, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. She wanted to speak at that meeting. She wanted to object, but they muted her.

They turned off her microphone. Is that democracy? Silencing a member of Congress? Of course not. But in Trump's world, this is normal. Silence, criticism, cover opposition, move on.

But Joyce Beatty didn't stay silent. After the meeting, she spoke to the press. They muted me. They didn't let me speak. But I'm speaking anyway, she said. And she's right, because in democracy,

everyone must have a voice, especially elected representatives. But Trump doesn't care. Trump only wants to hear his own voice. This is why this story matters, not just because of a sign on a wall,

but because of what happens when power tests its limits and whether the system still knows how to say no. The Kennedy Center will keep Kennedy's name, not Trump's, because Kennedy built things. Trump only destroys. Kennedy inspired.

Trump only divides. And history knows the difference. Thanks for watching everyone. Stay healthy. And remember, truth matters, values matter, and democracy is all of our responsibility. And remember, truth matters, values matter, and democracy is all of our responsibility. See you next time.