The Kennedy Center's board of trustees voted on Thursday to appeal a federal judge's order requiring the removal of former President Donald Trump's name from the performing arts building by Friday. This decision follows U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper's ruling that deemed the addition of Trump's name unlawful, as it bypassed Congress, which designated the center's name through federal law after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. The board's appeal is expected to be filed on Friday, coinciding with the effective date of the judge's order.
As of Thursday evening, Trump's name remained on the building's exterior but had been removed from the Kennedy Center's website, social media accounts, and shuttle buses. An activist group, Hands Off the Arts, is livestreaming the removal process. Judge Cooper's ruling also blocked a planned two-year renovation of the Kennedy Center, which Trump had proposed to address water damage and rusting issues.
Trump criticized Cooper's decision on social media, alleging partisan bias and suggesting that the ruling was influenced by the judge's wife, who represents President Joe Biden. Despite the controversy, Kennedy Center staff were instructed to begin removing references to "The Trump Kennedy Center" immediately. The board also passed a resolution to acknowledge Trump's contributions to the institution.