entertainment
In the filing, the Kennedy Center provided confirmation that “removal work is currently ongoing” and will “conclude in the early hours of the morning.”
A worker removes a letter of President Donald Trump’s name from the wall of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Saturday, June 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) AP
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s name remained on the facade of the Kennedy Center early Saturday despite a court-ordered deadline Friday to remove references to Trump from the building and other aspects of the iconic performing arts venue’s operations.
Scaffolding was erected on Friday around part of the building bearing Trump’s name, but shortly after midnight, the Kennedy Center asked a judge to extend the deadline until noon ET on Saturday due to thunderstorms that swept through the Washington area, causing a delay.
In the filing, the Kennedy Center provided confirmation that “removal work is currently ongoing” and will “conclude in the early hours of the morning.”
After a few hours, workers begin covering the scaffolding with cloth.
Dozens of people spent hours Friday in the plaza in front of the Kennedy Center taking photos and occasionally cheering, chanting “Drop it.” Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio board member who has sued to remove Trump’s name from the building, was seen at one point in the arena.
Earlier Friday afternoon, a judge denied a request to stop the court-ordered deadline. The corporation appealed that ruling, an attempt that was also rejected Friday evening.
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. Trump’s name was quickly added to the building.
In ruling that only Congress can make changes to the Kennedy Center’s name, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper also blocked the administration from closing the cultural and arts center for major renovations that were scheduled to begin in July and last two years.
Kennedy Center leadership said in its appeal Friday that the renewal was urgently needed and accused the lower court, in terms that sounded similar to Trump’s rhetorical patterns, of interfering in the effort.
“The district court does not permit us to close in order to properly repair and repair the building, including potentially life-threatening structural damage such as beams and rusted parking garage ceilings, which are at significant risk of falling onto people below,” the appeal states. “Indeed, a complete collapse!”
Even as the Kennedy Center made efforts to remove Trump’s name from the building, it took steps to comply with Cooper’s initial ruling.
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.
Associated Press journalists Anna Johnson, Mark Sherman and Emily Wang in Washington and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.