Federal judge orders Trump’s name removed from Kennedy Center
A federal judge has ruled that the rebranding was illegal and ordered President Donald Trump’s name removed from the Kennedy Center.
WASHINGTON – A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump’s name removed from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ruling that the Trump administration’s rebranding of the iconic facility was illegal.
In a May 29 opinion, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper said the Kennedy Center must remove Trump’s name from its name within 14 days. This includes removing recently installed signage on the center’s facade and removing Trump’s name from other official materials on the center’s website.
Mr. Cooper, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, also reversed plans to close the Kennedy Center for two years, which had been scheduled to begin in July in preparation for major renovations to the building.
In a 94-page opinion, the justices said the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees, made up mostly of Trump supporters, violated the 1964 federal law that established the center, which makes clear that “the Kennedy Center must be named after and honor only President Kennedy.”
The judge said changing the name from the Kennedy Center would require Congressional approval.
Trump says he will transfer centrist power to Congress
The ruling, a major blow to President Trump’s efforts to reform the institution to his liking, granted partial summary judgment in a lawsuit filed by Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), a former ex-officio member of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees, who opposed the name change.
“The Court does not intend to dictate how the Center should operate, nor prescribe any specific plans for construction, closure, or other future facilities. The Court merely imposes on the Kennedy Center Board certain minimum requirements imposed by law,” the opinion reads.
President Trump slammed the judge’s decision in a lengthy post on Truth Social and vowed to respond by working with Congress to “give this broken system back to them so they can decide what to do with it.” President Trump said he has directed the Commerce Department to carry out the transfer to Congress.
“Judge Cooper should be ashamed of himself!” Trump said. “I cannot be involved in a situation where danger to the public is openly prevalent. Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else and can reclaim this facility physically, financially and artistically, I have no interest in continuing the desperate journey to ‘NEVER NEVER LAND.’
In December, the center’s board of directors voted to change the name of the Kennedy Center to the Trump Kennedy Center. Less than 24 hours after the action, a new sign was installed on the outside of the building reading “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Performing Arts Center.”
President Trump complained about the “woke” programming at the Kennedy Center and promised to bring in better shows and musical acts while setting aside $257 million in federal funding for what he claimed were badly needed renovations.
Judge says board didn’t have enough information about center closure
In blocking plans to close the Kennedy Center for two years, Cooper questioned the credibility of Executive Director Matt Floca’s conclusion that renovations could not be made without closing the public center.
The judge also said the center’s board had “no meaningful say” on the issue when it voted to close on March 16. President Trump had already announced his closure plans on Truth Social on February 1st.
“Through social media posts, the trustees learned of the plan to close the center at the same time as the general public,” the judge said. “They were robbed of time and information and had no meaningful opportunity to consider what was probably the most significant decision in the center’s life since it opened in 1971.”
The Trump administration is expected to appeal the decision.
Despite President Trump’s pledge to transfer control of the center to Congress, a Kennedy Center spokesperson said the board plans to appeal the judge’s decision.
“On appeal, we are confident that the court will uphold the board’s intent to recognize President Trump’s historic contributions to our nation’s cultural center,” Roman Dalavi, the center’s vice president of operations, said in a statement.
Dharavi did not say whether the center would remove Trump’s name from the center’s facade.
Regarding the judge’s decision to block the center’s two-year closure, Dharavi said the center “will carefully consider the decision, although the reality remains that urgent and extensive repairs are needed.”
A Justice Department spokesperson also indicated plans to appeal. “We continue to champion President Trump’s ability to restore the center to its former glory as the premier performing arts center in the country, if not the world.”
Democrats and Kennedy’s family welcomed the judge’s decision, with some noting that the ruling came on the late president’s birthday. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917.
“Today is a fitting birthday present for my uncle,” Maria Shriver, Kennedy’s niece, said in a post on the X show. “I know there will probably be an appeal and the story is not over, but today let’s celebrate a great birthday present.”
X Contact Joey Garrison at @joeygarrison.
