A federal judge ruled Friday that President Donald Trump’s name must be removed from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, saying the board he appointed lacked the power to change the name of the iconic venue.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ordered the Trump administration to take down all physical signage bearing Trump’s name and eliminate any references to a “Trump Kennedy Center” from official materials within 14 days.
The center must go back to its original name, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Judge Rules Only Congress Can Name Kennedy Center
In his ruling, Cooper said the Kennedy Center is a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, established by an act of Congress, adding that only Congress can change its name.
The Trump-appointed board’s vote last December to rebrand the center exceeded its legal authority, he found.
The decision constitutes a major defeat for Trump’s effort to put his stamp on one of Washington’s premier cultural institutions.
Trump’s allies on the board moved quickly after he took office, installing him as chairman, replacing top leadership, and voting to add his name to the building. Giant letters went up on the facade within days.
The renaming and other changes were challenged in a lawsuit filed in December 2025 by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board.
Her lawyers said the moves violated federal law and the intent of Congress.
“Congress made clear that this is a memorial to President Kennedy,” Beatty said in a statement after the ruling. “No board, no matter who appoints it, can rewrite that on its own.”
The judge also temporarily blocked the board’s plan for a full two-year closure of the center for major renovations.
The board had voted in March to shut down operations starting around July, citing the need for extensive repairs estimated at more than $250 million.
Cooper vacated that vote but said necessary maintenance work could continue.
Lawyers for the center had warned the court this week that removing Trump’s name would cause serious financial damage.
Charles Matthew Floca, the center’s executive director, said in a court filing that the Trump association had already brought in new private donations and was critical for future fundraising.
Stripping the name, he argued, would sever important donor connections and make operations harder to sustain.
The ruling comes after months of legal back-and-forth. Cooper had earlier sided with Beatty regarding procedural issues, ordering that she receive board documents and be given a meaningful opportunity to participate in meetings.
But he had held off on the core questions of the name change and full closure until Friday’s decision.
Also Read: Gavin Newsom Declares War on Trump Jan. 6 Fund With 100% Tax Plan
The Kennedy Center, which sits on the Potomac River near the Watergate complex, opened in 1971 as a tribute to the slain president.
Federal law established it as the National Cultural Center and later designated it the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
It hosts performances, educational programs, and national events, which attract millions of visitors each year.
Trump had criticized the center’s programming as too “woke” and pushed for changes after taking office.
His administration replaced several board members and installed loyalists. The board then voted unanimously, under new bylaws that allowed only presidential appointees to vote, to add Trump’s name.
Democrats and some arts groups called the move inappropriate for a national memorial.
Preservation organizations have also raised concerns about the renovation plans and possible impact on the building’s historic features.
The case has drawn interest beyond Washington as a test of a president’s power over institutions created by Congress.
Beatty’s lawyers argued throughout the case that the board was trying to treat the center like a personal project rather than a national landmark protected by statute.
Friday’s order means Center staff must remove or cover Trump’s name from the building’s exterior and update websites, programs, and promotional materials. The 14-day clock starts immediately.
However, an appeal could keep the signage dispute alive for months.
