Appeals Court Denies Trump Bid to Keep Name on Kennedy Center
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has unanimously denied President Donald Trump’s request to halt the removal of his name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, dealing another legal blow to the administration’s effort to rebrand the iconic Washington institution.
In a ruling issued July 8, a three-judge panel found that Trump and the Kennedy Center’s board had failed to demonstrate they would suffer “irreparable injury” without the president’s name on the building, as NPR reported. The court noted that Trump’s name had already been removed from the facade, meaning “a stay would not avert those harms.”
Background of the Legal Battle
The ruling is the latest chapter in a dispute that began in December 2025, when the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees — appointed by Trump — voted unanimously to add the president’s name to the institution, declaring it would be known as “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” Signage bearing Trump’s name was rapidly installed on the building.
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex officio trustee of the Kennedy Center, filed a lawsuit on December 22, 2025, arguing that the renaming violated federal law. The lawsuit, filed by Democracy Defenders Action and the Washington Litigation Group, contended that because Congress established the Kennedy Center by statute in 1964 as the sole national memorial to President John F. Kennedy, only Congress could change its name.
U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper agreed. In a May 29, 2026 ruling, he ordered Trump’s name removed from the building and all digital materials, writing that the 1964 statute was “crystal clear” and that “the Board overstepped its statutory bounds by unilaterally renaming the Kennedy Center after President Trump.” Judge Cooper also blocked Trump’s plan to close the center for two years starting July 4, 2026, for a “complete rebuilding.”
Name Removal and Aftermath
Workers removed “Donald J. Trump” from the Kennedy Center’s facade on June 13, 2026, after the court-imposed deadline passed. The area where the name once stood remains covered by a tarp and scaffolding, which has itself become a subject of legal scrutiny. Judge Cooper has asked the center’s leadership to explain the purpose of the tarp and their plans for the facade, with a hearing scheduled for July 28.
In their appeal, Trump’s legal team argued that removing the president’s name would inflict irreparable financial harm, claiming that without Trump’s name attached, future fundraising would be threatened. The appeals court rejected this argument, noting that the center had “failed to support this assertion with any specific facts or evidence” and had offered only “conclusory assertions” from Executive Director Matt Floca, who specializes in physical plant management.
Reactions and Broader Implications
Rep. Joyce Beatty celebrated the ruling, stating: “Today’s ruling again affirms that this administration’s efforts to rename the Kennedy Center were unlawful. His name no longer desecrates this sacred memorial, which belongs to the American people. Now it is time for the Trump administration to accept this, comply with the law, and take the tarps down.”
Norm Eisen and Nathaniel Zelinsky, Beatty’s legal team, called the decision “a great win for the rule of law and the American people’s decision to honor John F. Kennedy’s memory,” adding that it serves as “a clear reminder that public institutions are not personal branding opportunities for any president.”
The case represents a significant legal check on presidential power over cultural institutions. The appeals court’s ruling reinforces the principle that congressionally established institutions cannot be unilaterally rebranded by the executive branch.
The Kennedy Center’s Uncertain Future
The center’s programming has been significantly reduced during the legal turmoil. Its current calendar lists a small roster of events — outdoor movie screenings, children’s workshops, and five free live performances in July on its Millennium Stage. Previously, the Kennedy Center presented over 2,000 arts and education events annually. The institution has also substantially reduced its staff.
What’s Next
The Trump administration and the Kennedy Center board can continue to appeal the underlying ruling. The July 28 hearing before Judge Cooper may provide further clarity on the center’s plans and the fate of the tarp covering the facade. Meanwhile, the question of whether Congress will take any legislative action regarding the center’s name remains open.
The Kennedy Center argued in its appeal that if it ultimately wins the underlying case, Trump’s name could be reinstalled. For now, however, the D.C. Circuit’s decision ensures that the Kennedy Center will remain, as Congress intended, a memorial to the nation’s 35th president.