Trump Name Removal
Court Denies Kennedy Center Board's Bid to Delay Trump Name Removal
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A federal judge on June 12, 2026, denied the Kennedy Center's last-minute bid to delay removing President Trump's name from the building — hours before a midnight court deadline Washington Post. Scaffolding was already going up on the facade as Justice Department lawyers rushed to file the stay request that morning PBS.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled the Board failed to show "irreparable harm" from removing the name Forbes. Unless an appellate court steps in, workers must strip the letters by midnight, ending a months-long legal fight over who has the power to rename a national memorial Washington Post.
How Trump's Name Got on the Building
Shortly after his second inauguration in early 2025, Trump purged the Kennedy Center's board and replaced members with political allies, appointing himself Chairman Washington Post. On December 19, 2025, the new board voted unanimously to rename the venue "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts." New signage went up within 24 hours.
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex-officio board member, filed a lawsuit after being muted during the virtual vote Washington Post. On May 29, 2026, Judge Cooper issued a 94-page ruling stating the law was "crystal clear" — only Congress can rename the center, which has been a living memorial to President Kennedy since 1964 Forbes.
Board's Emergency Vote Failed to Stop the Clock
On June 11, the Board held an emergency meeting and voted to appeal and seek a stay of the removal order Washington Post. The next morning, Justice Department lawyers filed the formal request as workers erected scaffolding outside PBS. Norm Eisen, legal counsel for Rep. Beatty, called it an "11th-hour gambit" born of desperation.
Kennedy Center Executive Director Matt Floca argued in court filings that removing Trump's name would make operations "financially nonviable" Forbes. Judge Cooper was unconvinced. He noted the center ran successfully for over 50 years without Trump's name — and that the harm of violating federal law outweighs any administrative inconvenience Washington Post.
Ticket Sales Collapsed as Arts World Pushed Back
The Trump takeover had real financial consequences — but not the ones the board predicted. Ticket sales dropped 70% in the first quarter of 2026 Washington Post. In Fall 2025, 43% of seats went unsold, compared to just 7% the year before. The Kennedy Center Honors broadcast saw a 35% drop in viewers.
Major productions canceled their shows, including the tour of "Hamilton." Artists like Joan Baez and Jane Fonda held free-speech rallies at the venue to protest what they called a cultural takeover PBS. Critics argue removing Trump's name will win back traditional donors and subscribers who boycotted the center — the opposite of what the Board claimed.
What Comes Next as the Deadline Hits
With the district court stay denied, the Board's only remaining hope is an emergency appeal to the D.C. Circuit Court Forbes. The Board also faces a separate blow: Judge Cooper earlier blocked Trump's plan to close the center for two years starting July 2026 for a $257 million "revitalization" project, which would have canceled roughly 2,200 annual performances Washington Post.
Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), an ex-officio board member who voted against the stay, said he wanted to put "distractions behind us" and refocus on the center's mission Washington Post. The legal core of the case remains simple: the Board acted beyond its powers by bypassing Congress, regardless of how much money was spent on renovations.
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