Kennedy Center Board Clings to Trump Name, Defying Judge’s Order
The Kennedy Center board, stacked with Trump appointees, voted to delay a federal judge’s order to remove Trump’s name from the venue, continuing the politicization of a national arts institution.
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On Thursday, the board of trustees at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, dominated by Trump loyalists, voted to seek a stay of U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper’s May 29 ruling that demanded the removal of former President Donald Trump’s name from the center’s façade. According to a source familiar with the closed-door meeting, the formal request for a stay is expected to be filed Friday, signaling the board’s intent to drag out the process and defy judicial authority.
Judge Cooper had made it clear that only Congress has the authority to change the center’s name, ordering that all references to Trump be removed by the deadline and halting a planned two-year renovation project that had become entangled in political controversy.
The board’s move directly contradicts a June 4 memo from the center’s Office of General Counsel, which had instructed staff to use the original name, “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,” in all official communications. In fact, the center’s website and recent email invitations had already omitted Trump’s name, reflecting a desire among staff and artists to distance the institution from Trump’s divisive legacy.
"I look forward to putting these distractions behind us and focusing on supporting the arts and the future of the Center," said Rep. Rick Larsen, a Democratic ex-officio board member who opposed the board’s attempt to block the judge’s order, highlighting the frustration among those who want to restore integrity to the Center.
Trump, in a blatant act of cronyism, appointed the current board after ousting previous leadership early in his second term and even named himself chairman. The board then brazenly renamed the facility the Trump Kennedy Center and plastered his name on the building, a move that legal experts and lawmakers have repeatedly said requires congressional approval.
This undemocratic name change sparked a wave of resignations and withdrawals from artists, including actors, musicians, and authors, as well as the departure of the National Symphony Orchestra’s executive director, all protesting the Center’s descent into political spectacle.
In a final act of sycophancy, the board also approved a resolution lauding Trump’s so-called “commitment to uphold this cherished American institution,” further cementing the Center’s reputation as a pawn in Trump’s ongoing quest for self-glorification.
