Kennedy Center Tarps Still Shrouding Trump Name Removal

More than a week after workers removed President Donald Trump’s name from the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, large flame-retardant tarps remain draped across the building’s entrance, blocking public view of the court-ordered change and fueling accusations that the coverings are a “literal coverup.”

The tarps were erected overnight on June 12-13 as crews pried the letters spelling “The Donald J. Trump and” from above the center’s original name, following a ruling by U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper that the renaming violated federal law. But while the Kennedy Center has stated it is in “full compliance” with the order, the coverings have stayed in place with no announced timeline for removal, according to Forbes.

A Legal Battle Over a Name

The controversy began in December 2025, when the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees — hand-picked by Trump after he purged its membership and installed himself as chairman — voted to rename the institution “The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” New lettering was affixed to the front portico the following day.

Representative Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) and other former trustees filed a lawsuit challenging the renaming, arguing that the Kennedy Center Act — which designates the institution as a “living memorial” to President John F. Kennedy — prohibits any name change without congressional approval. On May 29, Judge Cooper agreed, issuing a 94-page ruling that gave the center 14 days to remove Trump’s name from all physical and digital materials.

“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,” Cooper wrote, as reported by BBC News.

The Tarp Controversy

Workers removed Trump’s name behind large tarps that obscured the process from the approximately 150 onlookers who had gathered hoping to witness the moment. More than a week later, the tarps remain in place, and the Kennedy Center’s explanation has done little to quell suspicions.

Spokesperson Roma Daravi told the Washington Post that the tarps are needed to repair the marble facade and soffit panels, some of which weigh over 2,000 pounds and have reached “end-of-life” status due to decades of deferred maintenance. However, officials have not provided a timeline for when the coverings will come down.

In a June 19 court filing, Beatty’s legal team challenged the maintenance rationale directly, alleging the tarps reflect “broken egos” among leadership and may represent a breach of fiduciary duty, according to Newsweek. The filing described the coverings as effectively “semi-permanent” and argued they appear designed to obscure whether the center has fully complied with the court’s order.

Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) called the tarps “a literal coverup” in a post on X, saying Trump “got caught vandalizing federal property” and likened adding his name to the Kennedy Center to posting graffiti. “It will be a beautiful day when the name of the Kennedy Center is restored to visibility,” Raskin said.

Performers and Public React

The tarps have also drawn criticism from those who work at and visit the venue. Tommy Gedrich, an actor in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, told the New York Times that the coverings block two backstage entrances, forcing cast members to walk “two football fields wide” to reach the Opera House stage. “I think it doesn’t take that long to preserve marble,” he said.

Luna Woo, a violinist visiting from Portland as part of the National Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Music Institute, captured the public’s frustration: “I don’t know if they took down the sign, because I can’t see it.” Protesters have gathered outside the building with chants of “Take down the tarp.”

The Trump Kennedy Center Fund Paradox

In a seemingly contradictory move, the Kennedy Center board voted unanimously to establish the “Trump Kennedy Center Fund” — an endowment to “recognize President Donald J. Trump’s significant contributions and dedication to America’s premier cultural center,” Daravi said in a statement. The fund will supplement existing endowments and the $257 million in federal funding secured for renovations, as reported by The Independent.

Beatty condemned the move, saying in a statement: “It’s clear to me after this latest board meeting that some of Donald Trump’s appointees are more focused on elevating the President than advancing the arts.”

What’s Next

The Kennedy Center board has voted to appeal Judge Cooper’s ruling and has indicated it would restore Trump’s name if the appeal succeeds. Both a federal judge and an appeals court have already rejected the center’s request for a stay pending appeal.

Meanwhile, the center faces a separate deadline: Judge Cooper has ordered officials to update the court on renovation plans and public access. The board had planned a two-year closure starting July 2026 for $257 million in renovations, but the court blocked that proposal. The center is now weighing three options — full closure, partial shutdown, or phased repairs — with a board vote expected in mid-July.

For now, the tarps remain in place, and the view of one of Washington’s most iconic cultural landmarks stays obscured — a physical manifestation of a deepening legal and political struggle over who controls America’s cultural institutions.