Trump Name Removed From Kennedy Center After Court Ruling

Workers at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington removed Donald Trump’s name from the building overnight, after a court ruled that adding it had been unlawful. The center now carries only the name of former President John F. Kennedy, as it had for 55 years.

Trump added his name to the landmark about six months ago, even though the building is legally designated as a memorial to Kennedy and any renaming required congressional approval. For 176 days, the venue was officially called the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. On Thursday afternoon, the center, whose entire board of trustees had been replaced with Trump loyalists, filed a final appeal that was rejected, closing off any remaining path to overturn the ruling.

Several hundred people gathered outside the center, including Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio, who had filed the request to remove Trump’s name. The actual work began at about 3 a.m. after workers put up covering sheets to block cameras from filming the removal of the letters.

The decision follows a 94-page ruling issued two weeks ago by federal judge Christopher Cooper, who said, “Congress gave the center its name, and only it can change it,” and ordered all physical signage bearing Trump’s name removed within two weeks. Trump responded on Truth Social, attacking Cooper and saying, “He should be ashamed of himself,” and accusing “the radical left” of preferring the center die rather than let him improve it. The center was named for Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963, and Trump only moved to take it over after returning to power, replacing the board with supporters, being named chairman, and promising a sweeping overhaul of the institution’s programming and appearance. In December, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the name change, saying the board supported it because of Trump’s “amazing work” in saving the building financially, cosmetically, and reputationally.