Court Rejects Delay Request
A US federal judge on Friday rejected an attempt by the Kennedy Center’s board and the Justice Department to delay an order requiring President Donald Trump’s name to be removed from the Washington performing arts venue. District Judge Christopher Cooper said the administration had not shown sufficient grounds to pause the removal requirement, which followed his earlier ruling that the institution had been renamed without legal authority. The judge said the public interest is rarely served by continuing unlawful government action, reinforcing his view that the name change could not remain in place while appeals continue.
Renaming Authority Questioned
Cooper previously ruled that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts could not be renamed by the board alone and that only Congress has authority to change the name of the institution. The decision required Trump’s name to be removed from the building, official materials and related references within a set deadline. The dispute began after the governing board voted to rename the venue the “Trump Kennedy Center,” and Trump’s name was later added prominently to the building facade above that of former President John F. Kennedy.
Appeal Remains Pending
After Friday’s setback, the Kennedy Center board and the Justice Department filed another appeal seeking to stop the removal of Trump’s name. Workers were seen placing scaffolding near the section of the building where the signage was displayed, though the name had not immediately been removed by Friday evening. The Kennedy Center had already removed references to Trump’s name from its official website earlier in the week, showing partial compliance while the broader legal fight continued.
Renovation Plan Also Blocked
The judge also maintained a temporary block on Trump’s proposal to close the venue for two years of renovations, a project that had been expected to begin in July. The ruling keeps the Kennedy Center name dispute tied to broader questions about governance, public institutions and the limits of executive influence over federally chartered cultural spaces. Trump later reacted angrily to the court challenge and said he was relinquishing control of the venue, while the legal battle over the signage and institutional name continued.
