Trump’s Name Removed From Kennedy Center After Judge’s Order
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has complied with a federal court order to remove President Donald Trump’s name from its building facade, website, and all official materials, according to a court filing on Saturday. Workers completed the removal early on June 13, 2026, following a months-long legal battle over the institution’s name.
Matt Floca, executive director and chief operating officer of the Kennedy Center, confirmed in a court statement that the institution had removed “all physical signage on the Kennedy Center building and grounds, including the front portico, that purports to rename the Kennedy Center after President Trump.” The removal brings the arts venue into full compliance with the court’s order.
Background of the Legal Dispute
The Kennedy Center was established by an act of Congress in 1964 as a “living memorial” to President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. The law specifically named the institution after Kennedy, and legal experts — including the presiding judge — concluded that only Congress has the authority to change that name.
After returning to office in January 2025, Trump moved quickly to oust the institution’s existing leadership and replace the board of trustees with political supporters. He was subsequently voted in as chairman, marking a dramatic politicization of what had traditionally been one of Washington’s few relatively nonpartisan cultural spaces.
On December 18, 2025, Trump’s handpicked board voted to rename the center “The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.” Workers added Trump’s name to the facade the following day.
The Court Ruling
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled on May 29, 2026, that the name change was unlawful. In his ruling, Cooper wrote: “The Kennedy Center’s organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board’s unilateral say-so. Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.”
The same ruling also blocked a planned two-year closure for renovations that was set to begin in July 2026. The Kennedy Center’s leadership had argued in their appeal that the building has “potentially life threatening structural damage” including rusted beams and parking garage ceilings.
The Removal Process
Scaffolding was erected outside the Kennedy Center on Friday, June 12, as crews prepared to remove Trump’s name ahead of the court-ordered deadline. Severe thunderstorms in Washington on Friday evening delayed the work, prompting the Kennedy Center to seek a deadline extension to noon Saturday.
Two courts rejected the Kennedy Center’s last-minute requests to keep Trump’s name pending an appeal. Workers began removing the signage under tarps early Saturday morning, and by afternoon, Floca had filed the court statement confirming full compliance.
A crowd of onlookers gathered to watch the removal, with some chanting “Take them down!” as the scaffolding went up. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), who filed the lawsuit to remove Trump’s name, celebrated the removal by performing the “Trump dance” in the center’s halls. “Today’s victory is the beginning of returning the Kennedy Center to the American people,” Beatty said. “The rule of law prevailed, and that is worth celebrating.”
Broader Context
The removal of Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center occurs against the backdrop of Trump’s broader efforts to reshape Washington’s physical landscape, including plans to demolish the East Wing of the White House to build a ballroom, remodel the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and construct a triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
What’s Next
The Kennedy Center has suggested that Trump’s name could return to the building if the institution later wins its appeal, arguing it would “be forced to squander time and money — by both removing the signage and then potentially returning it after appeal.”
Meanwhile, the center’s programming remains uncertain. Upcoming performances include “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” and the Mark Twain Prize ceremony for Bill Maher on June 28, but little is scheduled beyond that. After substantially reducing staff, the institution’s ability to build out a robust performance schedule remains in question. Trump has suggested he might turn the center over to Congress or let it shutter due to public safety concerns.
The legal battle over the Kennedy Center’s name may not be over, but for now, the iconic Washington institution once again bears only the name of the president it was built to honor.