Court Orders Trump's Name Stripped From Kennedy Center Facade

A federal judge's order to restore the Kennedy Center's original name took effect early Saturday when workers began prying metal letters from the building's marble exterior in Washington. The action followed a May 29 ruling by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper that only Congress holds authority to alter the name of the performing-arts venue Congress designated in 1964 as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy.

The dispute centers on whether a board installed by President Trump could add his name without legislative approval. Cooper rejected the board's December vote to rebrand the center and set a June 12 deadline for removal. He separately blocked plans to close the building for two years of renovations. The administration appealed both parts of the order; an appeals panel denied an emergency stay Friday evening.

Thunderstorms delayed work past the midnight deadline. Justice Department lawyers cited safety concerns and requested a 12-hour extension, which Cooper declined. Scaffolding went up Friday afternoon. Shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday, crews draped tarps and started removing the letters while a small crowd outside chanted for the change. Workers departed around 3:30 a.m.; tarps remained in place. The center had already updated its website, email signatures and letterhead to omit Trump's name.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio board member, filed the lawsuit that produced the ruling. In filings, the administration argued that removing the name would halt fundraising and force return of hundreds of millions in conditioned donations. Beatty's lawyers called the late stay request an attempt to run out the clock. Trump posted on Truth Social that he would work with Congress to return the institution rather than proceed with renovations he described as necessary.