Judge Orders Removal of Trump’s Name from Kennedy Center

A federal judge ruled that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts must remove President Trump’s name from its facade and branding. This decision also temporarily blocks the center from shutting down for renovations this summer.

In response to the ruling, President Trump expressed anger in a social media post. He indicated his willingness to abandon the Kennedy Center as a personal project. According to the president, unless he can freely guide the center’s future, he sees no reason to continue its development.

Judge Christopher R. Cooper of the Federal District Court in Washington stated that the board’s decision to include President Trump’s name violated a 1964 Congressional law. This law clearly established the center should bear former President John F. Kennedy’s name. Judge Cooper emphasized that only Congress has the authority to change the center’s name.

The judge ordered the removal of the ‘Donald J. Trump’ letters from the center’s front portico within two weeks. The decision followed a move by the center’s board of trustees, mostly Trump allies, who voted in December to add his name. New lettering was promptly placed on the building, renaming it to include President Trump alongside John F. Kennedy.