Congresswoman Seeks Court Order to Block Kennedy Center's Proposed Trump Inscription
U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty filed an emergency motion asking a federal judge to stop the Kennedy Center from adding President Donald Trump’s name to its building, citing a prior court ruling that forbids the change.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio, has asked a federal court to intervene and prevent the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from adding President Donald J. Trump’s name to its façade. In an emergency motion, Beatty argues the proposed inscription violates a May ruling that the venue must retain its original name and that the board’s plan circumvents congressional authority.
The center’s board recently approved a resolution to close most of the facility for two years for renovations and to place an inscription reading “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” below the existing Kennedy memorial sign. The resolution also calls for a future inscription reading “Endowed by The Trump Kennedy Center Fund” if a related fundraising effort reaches $100 million, and proposes naming the grounds “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.” The Kennedy Center said it would delay installing the inscriptions until Sept. 8 to allow the lawsuit to proceed.
A court order requires the center to file a response to Beatty’s motion by Monday, after which a hearing may be scheduled. The dispute follows a May decision by Judge John D. Cooper that barred the center from renaming the institution without congressional approval, stating that federal law mandates the venue be named for President Kennedy.
Beatty’s filing also criticizes tarps covering the front portico since June, saying they conceal the Kennedy name and impede compliance with the earlier court order. The center has said the coverings are needed for ongoing construction but has not provided a removal timeline.