US Republicans are pitching to have Opera House of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington renamed after the First Lady, Melania Trump.

The 2364-seat hall, which also hosts ballet and contemporary dance productions, is the setting for the annual Kennedy Center Honors, the nation’s highest award for lifetime achievement in the arts.

The John F. Kennedy Center Opera House. Photo supplied

The move comes in the wake of President Donald Trump naming himself Board Chairman of the Kennedy Center, ousting several longstanding leadership figures including Deborah F. Rutter and chairman David M. Rubenstein.

The proposal to badge the JFK Center’s second-largest hall as the First Lady Melania Trump Opera House was tucked into a government funding bill that cleared the House Appropriations Committee.

US Congressman (Rep.) Mike Simpson of Idaho is reported to be the idea’s driving force, and has been quoted by media sources saying: “Naming the Opera House at the Kennedy Center after [Melania Trump] is an excellent way to recognize the first lady’s appreciation for the arts.”

It is traditional for the First Lady serves as the honorary chair of the JFK Centre. Mrs. Trump has maintained...