Local & Community
Crews Remove Donald Trump's Name From Kennedy Center After Federal Court Overturns Controversial Renaming
WASHINGTON — Crews working under the cover of protective tarps have successfully scrubbed President Donald Trump's name from the exterior of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The swift physical dismantling over the weekend follows a high-stakes legal battle that culminated in a federal court order invalidating the venue's controversial renaming.
The dramatic removal marks the end of a six-month controversy that began last December when a newly reconstituted board of trustees, heavily packed with Trump political allies, voted to alter the moniker of the nation's premier cultural institution. The board added the words The Donald J. Trump and to the building's facade, effectively transforming the federally chartered landmark into a shared memorial. The move sparked immediate pushback from arts figures, the Kennedy family, and congressional leaders, prompting a major federal lawsuit spearheaded by Representative Joyce Beatty, a Democratic lawmaker from Ohio who serves as an ex-officio board member.
In a comprehensive 94-page opinion issued in late May, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled decisively in favor of the plaintiffs. Judge Cooper stated that Congress gave the Kennedy Center its statutory name in 1964 as a living memorial to the assassinated 35th president, and emphasized that only Congress holds the legal authority to alter it. The court subsequently issued a strict 14-day deadline for the center to erase the Trump branding from its physical facade, official website, promotional materials, and digital platforms.
Government attorneys representing the center mounted a flurry of last-minute legal appeals to secure an administrative stay, arguing that removing the heavy lettering would be both wasteful and confusing to the public. However, Judge Cooper and a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit both rejected those emergency bids on Friday. Severe thunderstorms raked across the nation's capital on Friday evening, temporarily delaying the manual labor due to worker safety concerns and forcing a brief hours-long extension.
Scaffolding crews ultimately completed the physical extraction in the early hours of Saturday morning. Kennedy Center Executive Director Matt Floca subsequently filed a formal notice of compliance with the federal court, confirming that all physical signage purposing to name the facility after Trump had been removed.
While onlookers gathered in the plaza to witness the historic correction, the building's front portico remained shrouded behind thick tarpaulins as of Monday morning. In addition to stripping the name, the court order successfully blocked a contentious plan by the board to completely shut down the center for two years for a 257 million dollar renovation project. President Trump sharply criticized the judicial intervention in a lengthy statement on Truth Social, indicating that he intends to step back his personal involvement with the institution and declaring that the presiding judge should be ashamed of himself.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
June 15, 2026
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