Kennedy suggests ‘rule’ that no politician should have a building named after them while alive
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said on CBS’s Face the Nation that public officials should not have buildings named for them while they are still alive. His comments came as President Trump is pushing to rename the Kennedy Center after himself; Kennedy also criticized using public funds for what he called "private ads."
Why It Matters
The remark addresses norms around commemorating living politicians and arrives amid a public dispute over naming a major cultural institution, raising questions about use of public resources and the propriety of self-naming. Those issues touch on broader debates about ethics and precedent in government honors.
Key Facts
- Speaker: Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.)
- Platform: CBS News's Face the Nation
- Proposal: No politician should have a building named after them while alive
- Context: President Trump is fighting to rename the Kennedy Center after himself
- Quoted comment: Public officials should not "spend public money on private ads…"
Sen. John Kennedy, the Republican senator from Louisiana, said Sunday that public officials should not have buildings named after them while they remain alive. Kennedy made the remark during an appearance on CBS News's Face the Nation.
His comments were framed against a backdrop in which President Trump is pursuing an effort to rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after himself. Kennedy argued that living politicians should not be the recipients of such honors and suggested a rule against it.
On Face the Nation, Kennedy also criticized what he described as the use of taxpayer funds for personal promotion, saying public officials should not "spend public money on private ads…" The senator linked that principle to his view on naming public buildings for current officeholders.
Kennedy's statement adds a voice from his party to the discussion about the propriety of renaming a major cultural institution during a living politician's lifetime, and highlights concerns about public resources being used in ways some view as self-promotional.
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