A federal judge has ordered the Kennedy Center to remove former President Donald Trump's name from the building within two weeks. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the board of trustees acted illegally in renaming the center, as only Congress has the authority to do so. The ruling follows a lawsuit filed by U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), who also secured a preliminary injunction to halt Trump's plans for a two-year renovation of the center, which he had announced earlier this year.
Judge Cooper stated that the board overstepped its statutory bounds and mandated the removal of Trump's name from all signage and official materials associated with the center. In response, Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center's VP of public relations, expressed confidence that the court's decision would be overturned on appeal, while emphasizing the need for significant restoration of the center.
Trump criticized the judge's decision, claiming the center is structurally unsafe and announcing plans to transfer control of the institution to Congress. Legal experts have indicated that the renaming of the center violates a 1964 federal law that established its name in honor of President John F. Kennedy. Beatty stated that the ruling affirms the need to uphold the law regarding the Kennedy Center, which she described as a national institution belonging to the American people.
In a related ruling, Judge Cooper denied a request from the DC Preservation League to stop additional renovations at the center, stating that the group did not demonstrate a likelihood of success in their legal claims. The judge has requested a joint status report from the involved parties regarding the renovation project within seven days.
