A viral screenshot shared on X purports  to show banners with President Donald Trump’s image currently hanging at the Kennedy Center.

Can’t wait till we tear this down one day. Waste of taxpayer money. pic.twitter.com/HaklLbyBnU

— James Tate (@JamesTate121) March 11, 2025

Verdict: False

The screenshot does not show an authentic image but an illustration featured in a Feb. 13 opinion piece published by the Daily Beast titled, “Quiet Over Trump’s Kennedy Center Grab Risks ‘Capitulation.'”

Fact Check:

Trump recently announced he is appointing Fox News hosts Laura Ingraham and Maria Bartiromo to the board of the Kennedy Center, according to The Hill. In making the announcement on TRUTH Social, Trump said, “we look forward to restoring the Center to greatness,” the outlet reported.

The X screenshot, viewed over 400,000 times as of writing, purports to show banners with Trump’s image currently hanging at the Kennedy Center. “Trump’s face looms over the Kennedy Center, draped in imperial banners–bigger than life, bigger than law, bigger than the people. This is not patriotism. This is authoritarianism in real time,” text that appears above the screenshot reads in part.

“Can’t wait till we tear this down one day. Waste of taxpayer money,” the screenshot’s caption follows.

The claim is false. The screenshot does not show an authentic image but an illustration featured in a Feb. 13 opinion piece published by the Daily Beast titled, “Quiet Over Trump’s Kennedy Center Grab Risks ‘Capitulation.'” Trump was “unanimously elected” Chairman of the Board of the Kennedy Center, he revealed in a Feb. 12 TRUTH Social post. The post follows a previous post from Trump calling out the Kennedy Center for featuring drag shows that purportedly targeted youth. (RELATED: Has Amy Coney Barrett Refused To Submit To A Lawful Audit By DOGE?)

Likewise, the Kennedy Center does not appear to have issued a press release or social media statement responding to the claim made via the viral X screenshot. Trump does not appear to have publicly commented on the claim, either.

In addition, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim. Actually, the opposite is true. On March 12, Lead Stories debunked the claim, indicating the screenshot showed a “digitally created illustration,” not an authentic image.

Check Your Fact has contacted the Kennedy Center for comment.