President Donald Trump said he has “no interest” in the world-famous venue after a judge ordered his name removed from the Kennedy Center.
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.
May 29 was a dramatic day for the Kennedy Center, even though it’s an iconic venue known for its plays and musicals.
A federal judge ordered President Donald Trump’s name removed from the building’s facade and halted renovations that would have kept the facility closed for two years. President Trump slammed the order, but appeared to have given up on his hopes of redesigning the building, writing in a social media post that he would transfer control of the venue to Congress.
“Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else and reclaim this facility physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what will only be a hopeless journey into ‘NEVER NEVER LAND,'” President Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The president later said that without renovations and a plan for the venue, “the Kennedy Center will close soon and probably never open again.”
It was the latest development in Trump’s months-long campaign to overhaul a venue he has criticized as “too woke.” The center is also one of several iconic buildings and cultural institutions in Washington that President Trump is seeking to redesign to his liking.
But despite President Trump’s pledge to hand over control of the center to lawmakers, a Kennedy Center spokesperson said an appeal would be filed by the venue’s board of directors, which is largely made up of Trump supporters. The Justice Department also indicated plans to appeal.
With the fate of cultural hubs hanging in the balance, here’s what you need to know about recent orders and the government’s attempts to overhaul venues.
Judge says Congress should approve name change, halts renovation work
In a May 29 order, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper argued that the board’s decision to change the venue’s name to the “Trump Kennedy Center” violates the intent of lawmakers in 1964 to honor the late President John F. Kennedy.
“Congress has made it clear that the Kennedy Center is America’s premier performing arts center and the only living memorial to our late president in the Washington, D.C., area,” said Cooper, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama.
He added that since Congress named the Kennedy Center, “only Congress can change its name.”
The order also ordered a halt to renovations that would result in the building being closed for two years. Cooper questioned whether the renovations could be carried out without closing the building, saying the board “has not had a meaningful opportunity to consider perhaps the most significant decision in the center’s life since it opened in 1971.”
President Trump slammed Cooper’s order on May 30, writing that Cooper’s name was added to the center by a vote of “the most prominent people in this country.” He also said the building would need to be closed for extensive renovations.
“We cannot do massive, extremely dangerous construction work, including replacing structural beams, while audiences innocently go to see a play,” Trump said.
How President Trump took control of the Kennedy Center
The renovation of the Kennedy Center was one of several projects President Trump took on during his second term in an ongoing effort to redesign the nation’s capital to his liking. Other projects include renovations to the White House Ballroom, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool.
President Trump fired the Kennedy Center’s board of directors in February, installed himself as its new director, and appointed several political allies to the board. President Trump has chosen his special envoy, Rick Grenell, to head the center.
The president complained about the venue’s “woke” programming and promised to introduce better shows and musical acts while securing $257 million in federal funding for much-needed renovations.
In December, the center’s board of directors voted to change the name of the Kennedy Center to the Trump Kennedy Center. Within 24 hours, workers installed a new sign on the outside of the building that reads “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Performing Arts Center.”
In his ruling, Cooper ordered that Trump’s name be removed from the building’s exterior and office materials within 14 days.
Shows have been canceled one after another after President Trump took office.
President Trump’s efforts to transform the Kennedy Center have led to a flurry of show cancellations, with about two dozen artists canceling their scheduled performances.
Among the performers who canceled events were Renée Fleming, Béla Fleck, Washington National Opera, touring production of “Hamilton,” Issa Rae, Christy Lee and Wayne Tucker. Performers of “Les Misérables” also boycotted the event at the center.
Weeks after Trump’s name was added to the building, composer Philip Glass canceled the world premiere of his symphony “Lincoln” at the storied institution.
“Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and today’s Kennedy Center values are in direct conflict with the symphony’s message,” Glass said in a statement. “Therefore, I feel obligated to withdraw the premiere of this symphony from the Kennedy Center under its current direction.”
“Those calling for a boycott based on politics are making the wrong decision,” Roman Dalavi, a spokesperson for the center, said in a statement about the cancellation.
“We have not canceled a single show,” Dharavi added. “Left-wing activists are pressuring artists to cancel, but the public wants artists to perform and create, not to cancel under pressure from political insiders who profit from creating division.”
contribution: USA TODAY’s Joey Garrison, Anna Kaufman and Edward Segarra
Christopher Cann is a national news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact him at ccann@usatoday.com or follow him at X @Chris__Cann.
