Washington– A judge on Friday denied a request from the Kennedy Center to block a ruling ordering the removal of President Donald Trump’s name from the building.
Last month, US District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that Trump’s name was illegally added to the iconic performing arts facility in Washington. Cooper ruled that only Congress could make a change to the Kennedy Center’s name and ordered references to Trump to be removed by Friday.
A man drives a garbage can out of John’s. Kennedy Performing Arts, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Washington.
AP Photo/Rod Lamke Jr.
Late Thursday, Trump’s hand-picked board at the center made a last-minute effort to keep his name on the facade of the iconic performing arts facility, but Cooper refused to abide by his order.
A June 4 memo to staff from the Kennedy Center’s office of general counsel said email signatures, letterhead and other documents should reflect the name “John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “The Kennedy Center.”
The Kennedy Center website dropped Trump’s name. An earlier email sent to members offering ticket packages for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor ceremony on June 28 from the Kennedy Center came without including Trump’s name.
After ignoring the Kennedy Center for most of his first term, Trump exerted enormous influence over the place during his return to office. Just one month into his second term, he ousted the center’s previous leadership and replaced it with a board of trustees whom he appointed as president.
In his previous ruling, Cooper also prohibited management from closing the cultural and arts venue for major renovations that were scheduled to begin in July and last for two years.
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