After the White House announced plans to rename the Kennedy Center, the pushback did not stop with artists and performers. It quickly spilled into the world of satire.
Soon after the decision became public, a former South Park writer revealed he had already secured the Trump Kennedy Center domain names. His name is Toby Morton, and he says the goal was simple. To mock President Trump.
Morton explained that the idea had formed months earlier. Once Trump began reshaping the Kennedy Center board, the name change felt inevitable. Buying the domains, he said, followed naturally from there.
That timing now stands out. The domains include trumpkennedycenter.org and trumpkennedycenter.com, both purchased last August, well before the White House confirmed the renaming.
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While Morton has not shared specific plans for the sites, he has made clear they will lean heavily into satire. In his view, once a cultural institution becomes personal branding, parody is almost unavoidable.
For decades, the Kennedy Center has stood as a national home for the arts. It was designed to celebrate culture and creativity beyond politics or personalities. Many believe that purpose is now being tested.
Because of that shift, the renaming has drawn sharp criticism. Morton argues that culture should outlast political power, not serve it. When that line is crossed, humor becomes a form of response.
This approach is familiar to him. Morton has a history of buying political domain names and turning them into comedic projects. He describes it as a form of activism that relies on wit rather than outrage.
So far, the Trump administration has not contacted him about the domains. Morton says he has heard from a few lawyers claiming satire is no longer protected, a claim he appears to dismiss.
The move also fits into a broader pattern. South Park has long mocked Trump and his fixation on image and control. Although Morton left the show years ago, the tone feels consistent.
Earlier this month, Trump’s handpicked board approved the name change, praising the president for his role in reshaping the center. Trump welcomed the decision, even as members of the Kennedy family voiced objections.
Now, alongside canceled performances and public protests, another kind of resistance has emerged. One driven by humor. And that may be the response Trump finds most uncomfortable.
Featured image via X screengrab
