Kennedy Center removes Trump name after federal judge order
Construction crews have taken down former President Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center’s façade and website following a court ruling that the venue’s board lacked authority to rename the institution.
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A Kennedy Center official told a federal judge on Saturday that all references to former President Donald Trump have been removed from the performing-arts venue’s interior, exterior and online platforms, in compliance with a court order requiring removal by noon. Construction workers began stripping the lettering that added "Trump" before "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts" from the building’s façade early Saturday, six months after a board appointed by the president voted to rename the center.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in May that the center’s board could not unilaterally change the name, stating that only Congress has the authority to alter the Kennedy Center’s designation. The Justice Department sought a brief delay, citing thunderstorms, but indicated that removal work would be completed by the early hours of June 13.
The center had previously argued that removing the name would force it to return or forfeit hundreds of millions of dollars raised for renovations, claiming donors had contributed only with the "Trump" name attached. An appeals court rejected the center’s request for a pause, and Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty described the outcome as a "victory" for the rule of law.
Following the ruling, the Kennedy Center directed staff to eliminate the Trump name from all signage, and the website reverted to its original branding. The judge also blocked a proposed two-year closure for renovations that the board had sought.
