Trump’s Name Vanishes from Kennedy Center After Court Order
A federal judge ruled that Donald Trump’s name added to the Kennedy Center’s front was unlawful, ordering its removal by Friday 12 June.
The name had been added to the venue’s front unlawfully, as a federal judge found last month. Crews erected scaffolding on Friday, but thunderstorms delayed the removal until early Saturday. The Trump administration’s last‑minute bid to halt the order was rejected by Judge Christopher Cooper.
The case stems from the larger dispute over renaming the cultural institution, officially a memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The judge also blocked the centre’s temporary closure during upcoming renovations, and an appeals court declined to intervene immediately, allowing the removal to proceed while further arguments are pending.
Trump’s administration argued that renaming could cause confusion if the decision is later overturned, but the court maintained that such changes require congressional approval. The former president had replaced trustees, appointed himself as a trustee, and was then voted in as chair of the venue’s board.
On Saturday night, workers covered the removal with long plastic sheeting; onlookers gathered to watch the sign’s removal, chanting “take it down” in support of the court’s decision. The courthouse’s ruling highlights the legal limits on political influence in naming public institutions.
