House Republicans are running headlong into a legal wall as they try to advance a proposal to rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after former President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania. The move, which has already passed out of committee, would violate the 1983 federal law that governs the center’s naming and structure, according to four sources familiar with the issue.

The proposal seeks to rename the center itself after Trump and designate its opera house in honor of Melania Trump. However, the legislation establishing the Kennedy Center explicitly bars any new memorials, plaques, or dedications “in the nature of memorials” after 1983, meaning House Republicans would need to pass new legislation to override the existing law.

The White House declined to comment on the renaming effort, while a spokesperson for the bill’s sponsor claimed the Trumps were unaware of the proposal ahead of time.

Despite the legal barrier, the initiative is part of a broader effort by the former president to reshape the nation’s most iconic arts institution in his image. Since returning to office, Trump has purged Democratic-appointed members from the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees and replaced its longtime president with Ric Grenell, a political ally and former special envoy.

On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump praised Grenell as someone who “shares my vision for a golden age of American arts and culture” and promised that the new leadership would prevent “anti-American propaganda” from being staged at the center.

Since the leadership shift, several high-profile performers have pulled out of scheduled appearances in protest. Pulitzer Prize-winning singer Rhiannon Giddens canceled her May performance, stating she “cannot in good conscience play at the Kennedy Center” under the new political direction. The Broadway musical Hamilton also dropped out, calling the changes a “purge” of the center’s artistic integrity.

Trump’s allies on the newly formed board have already canceled events they deemed politically inappropriate, including a performance by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., and a children’s musical titled Finn that includes LGBTQ themes. In a gesture of solidarity, the band Guster invited the Finn cast to perform with them during their concert at the center in April.

Meanwhile, Trump has also begun targeting other cultural institutions, calling on sports franchises like the Cleveland Guardians and Washington Commanders to reverse name changes made in response to concerns about racist and dehumanizing mascots. He even threatened to block the Commander’s new stadium project in Washington, D.C., if the team does not comply—though it remains unclear whether the president has the legal authority to do so.

Critics argue these efforts are about more than cultural branding. “This is a blatant attempt to rewrite history, consolidate control over public spaces, and erase decades of inclusive progress,” said one former board member who asked to remain anonymous.

Can Republicans pass the renaming bill in the House? Absolutely. But the measure is likely a no go in the Democrat controlled Senate. Even if the bill passed, legal scholars believe that it would be challeneged in court.

For now, the Kennedy Center remains named in honor of President John F. Kennedy, a symbol of the nation’s postwar cultural aspirations. But with legislation moving forward and performers protesting in real time, the battle over its future has become a flashpoint in the broader culture war.