A United States federal judge has ordered that President Donald Trump’s name be removed from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ruling that the institution cannot be renamed without approval from Congress.
The decision requires the removal of Trump’s name from the building’s exterior signage, official documents, digital platforms, and promotional materials within 14 days.
The ruling also blocks plans to temporarily close the Washington-based arts centre for a major renovation project.
District Judge Christopher Cooper said Congress originally established the venue as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts and only Congress has the authority to change that designation.
“The Kennedy Center’s governing statute makes clear that it is a memorial to President Kennedy,” Cooper wrote in his ruling. “Only Congress can alter its official name.”
The legal challenge was brought by former trustees and Democratic lawmakers, including Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, who argued that recent changes to the institution were unlawful.
Trump had overseen a dramatic restructuring of the centre after appointing new trustees and assuming a leadership role within the organisation.
The board later approved renaming the venue the “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
The move sparked controversy, prompting several artists to cancel performances and contributing to declining ticket sales.
Reacting to the ruling, Trump criticised the decision and vowed to work with Congress to restore the name change. He argued that he had secured funding needed to revive the institution and improve its finances.
The Kennedy Center’s leadership has confirmed plans to appeal the court ruling, insisting that the board acted within its authority and that significant renovations remain urgently needed.
Until an appeal succeeds, however, the venue will revert to its original name, which it has carried since opening in 1971 as a memorial to the late President John F. Kennedy.
