New Trump-Kennedy Center sign is affixed to building facade despite concerns about legality

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington donned a new name — the Trump-Kennedy Center — on the exterior of the building Friday, just a day after President Donald Trump's hand-picked board voted to change the arts institution's name.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington donned a new name — the Trump-Kennedy Center — on the exterior of the building Friday, just a day after President Donald Trump's hand-picked board voted to change the arts institution's name.

The move came despite concerns about the legality of the shift and objections from members of the Kennedy family and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle after the center announced that its board on Thursday voted unanimously to approve the name change.

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was "surprised" and "honored" that the board, of which he is chair and which is composed of members he appointed earlier this year, approved the name change.

Add NBC News to GoogleJFK's family reacts to 'Trump-Kennedy Center' renaming plan02:28"This was brought up by one of the very distinguished board members, and they voted on it, and there's a lot of board members, and they voted unanimously. So I was very honored by it," he told reporters in the Oval Office.

The president, who has revamped programming and events at the Kennedy Center since the start of this term, had previously teased to the prospect of changing the institution's name, writing in a post on Truth Social in August, “GREAT Nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER.”