Trump's Name Removed from Kennedy Center After Court Order
A federal judge ordered the removal of Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center, ruling it was added unlawfully. The center complied, taking down the name from its building, website, and other materials.
Trump's Name Removed from Kennedy Center
President Donald Trump's name has been taken down from the front of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., after a judge ordered its removal. The performing arts venue said in a court filing that it has fully complied with the ruling and Trump's name no longer appears on its building, website, or other materials.
A federal judge found last month that the president's name had been added unlawfully and ordered it removed by Friday, June 12. Crews erected scaffolding on Friday, but thunderstorms delayed the work until early Saturday. Workers hung large plastic sheeting to obscure the removal of the letters. Some onlookers chanted "take it down," according to U.S. media.
The case stems from a broader legal dispute over the renaming of the cultural institution, which U.S. law designates as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in late May that the venue cannot be renamed without congressional approval and also blocked its temporary closure during planned renovations. An appeals court declined to intervene immediately, allowing the removal to proceed pending further arguments. The Trump administration argued that changing the name could cause confusion if the decision were later overturned.
Trump announced the addition of his name to the institution last year as part of rebranding measures across the nation's capital. In February 2025, he replaced several trustees on the center's board and appointed himself as a trustee before being voted in as the arts center's chairman.
