Topline
President Donald Trump dismissed an MS NOW report on discussions about his name being added to the historic Ford’s Theatre, where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, as he attacked the news outlet, claiming that the story was “FAKE NEWS.”
President Donald Trump dismissed a report suggesting his name may be added to the Ford’s Theater, the site of the Lincoln assassination.
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Key Facts
On Wednesday, MS NOW reported that Trump administration officials were “circulating a list of government sites” to which Trump’s name could be added amid the ongoing legal fight over the push to inscribe the president’s name on the Kennedy Center building.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that “The story that the White House, or me, want to affix my name to Ford’s Theatre…is a ridiculous lie.”
The president derided the report as “FAKE NEWS” and questioned why anyone would want their name attached to such a “tragic place.”
The post comes days after Trump’s decision to ban MS NOW and two other outlets, CNN and Politico, from the White House, accusing them of publishing “fake news” about his administration—a move that has been blocked by a federal judge.
Labeling the Ford’s Theatre story a “Hoax,” the president claimed it was another one of “malicious falsehoods to try to discredit and demean” him.
News Peg
MS NOW’s report said it was unclear how seriously officials were pursuing the purported Ford Theatre renaming efforts. The report cited an unnamed administration official who said the idea had been discussed, but it was unclear if anything was moving forward. The report noted that administration officials pursuing this effort were looking for government buildings and other sites where Trump’s name could be added without the legal wrangling or challenges of the Kennedy Center renaming effort. It’s unclear if these ideas were presented to Trump or other senior White House officials.
Tangent
President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at the venue by actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth on April 14th, 1865, while he was still in office. According to the theatre’s official website, the federal government purchased the venue from its owner John T. Ford in 1866 and converted into a federal office building. However, in 1964 Congress appropriated funds to restore the theatre and it reopened for performances again in 1968. The venue is now managed by both the National Park Service and the Ford’s Theatre Society.
Key Background
The report and Trump’s denial about the Ford theater comes amid an ongoing legal battle over efforts to engrave the president’s name on the facade of the Kennedy Center building. Trump’s handpicked board of trustees had earlier this year voted to rename the institution to the Trump-Kennedy Center and affixed the president’s name to the building. However, the name had to be removed after a federal judge ruled that the name change was unlawful without Congressional approval. Since then the board has pushed for an alternate proposal that would see Trump’s name be inscribed on the facade of the center’s building. Both Trump and the center’s board have argued that this was a necessary step to allow the president to fundraise in his name for a renovation of the center. The building was shut down by the board earlier this month and Trump has signalled he may demolish the center if his planned renovation wasn’t allowed to proceed.
further reading
Kennedy Center Board Warns Of Immediate Closure Unless Trump’s Name Goes On Building, Report Says (Forbes)
Democrat Says Trump Threw ‘Tantrum’ During Kennedy Center Board Meeting After Court Ruling (Forbes)
Court Urged To Block Carving Of Trump’s Name On Another D.C. Building—The Institute Of Peace (Forbes)
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