US judge upholds order to remove Trump’s name from Kennedy Center
Washington DC’s performing arts centre must strip the president’s name from its exterior by Friday following the dismissal of a last-minute appeal by the board of directors.
US District Judge Christopher Cooper has maintained a court order requiring the removal of Donald Trump’s name from the facade of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC. The judge rejected a final appeal lodged by the centre’s board of directors, which had sought to overturn a previous ruling that declared the addition of the name illegal.
The board, whose members were appointed by President Trump after he dismissed the institution’s previous leadership and named himself chairman, had requested a stay of the removal order. Cooper dismissed this effort on Friday, confirming that the physical removal of the name from the building’s exterior is scheduled to be completed by Friday.
This legal proceeding follows a ruling issued last month by Judge Cooper, which determined that the installation of Trump’s name on the performing arts centre was unlawful. In response to that initial decision, Trump published a 580-word social media post criticising the judge and referring to himself in the third person, stating that the judiciary preferred to see the institution fail rather than support his efforts to transform it.
Administrative changes at the centre have already begun in anticipation of the ruling. A memo issued on June 4 by the centre’s Office of General Counsel instructed staff to use “The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center” in official communications, including email signatures and letterhead. The institution’s website has also removed references to Trump’s name.
The dispute over the Kennedy Center is part of a broader pattern of efforts by Trump to reshape the image of the nation’s capital. These initiatives include plans for a triumphal arch and a White House ballroom, many of which have encountered legal challenges. The current board’s attempt to salvage the name change represents the latest instance of institutional friction between the executive branch and established cultural entities in Washington.
