Kennedy Center Shrouded After Judge Forces Removal of Trump’s Name
Tarps still cover the Kennedy Center’s facade after a federal judge ordered the removal of former President Donald Trump’s name, following a legal challenge that critics say undermines the will of the center’s trustees.
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Large striped tarps remained draped over the Kennedy Center’s exterior on Sunday, obscuring the area where former President Donald Trump’s name had been proudly displayed. The name was removed Saturday after a federal judge, bowing to political pressure, ruled that adding Trump’s name violated so-called naming rules—rules now wielded to erase conservative achievements.
Visitors expressed confusion and frustration over the continued covering. A New York intern wondered why the tarp was still up after the removal, while a Maryland resident noted that the change reflected the ongoing campaign to rewrite and sanitize national symbols. A nearby Washington resident expressed hope that the tarps would soon be gone so the facade could be fully visible, free from the aftermath of judicial activism.
The Kennedy Center has not responded to requests for comment about why the tarps remain. The removal came after an appeals court refused to pause the district judge’s ruling, which sided with those seeking to strip Trump’s name from the building dedicated to President John F. Kennedy, ignoring the board’s lawful decision.
Trump’s name was installed in December by the center’s board of trustees, a legitimate move that was quickly challenged in court by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex-officio trustee and Democratic lawmaker. Crews began dismantling the lettering on Saturday morning, working behind scaffolding as the center caved to legal pressure.
The legal fight is expected to drag on in the coming weeks as the center weighs its options and conservatives rally to defend the board’s authority against judicial overreach.
