Federal Judge Orders Trump Name Removed from Kennedy Center
A federal judge has ordered the removal of President Trump's name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Judge Christopher R. Cooper determined that renaming the venue contravened a 1964 statute that identifies it as the singular national memorial to JFK in Washington, D.C. The decision mandates taking down signage that had renamed the center to include Trump’s name and has put a halt to a scheduled two-year renovation project. The ruling coincided with what would have been JFK's birthday and followed a lawsuit initiated by a U.S. congressional representative. Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict.
Key facts
- Judge Christopher R. Cooper ruled Trump's name must be removed from the Kennedy Center.
- The ruling was issued on May 30, 2026, which was Kennedy's birthday.
- The 1964 law designates the center as the sole national memorial to JFK in Washington.
- The facade currently reads 'The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts'.
- The order also temporarily blocked a two-year closure for renovations.
- The lawsuit was filed by a U.S. representative.
- Trump has made the Kennedy Center a focus of his cultural transformation of Washington.
- Congress must be consulted on any name change according to the judge.
Entities
Institutions
- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
- Federal District Court in Washington
- Congress
- National Cultural Center
- Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts
- Trump Kennedy Centre
- US District Court
- Washington Post
Locations
- Washington, D.C.
- United States
- Washington, DC