The Kennedy Center started removing President Donald Trump's name from its facade on June 13, 2026, after a court-ordered deadline. Scaffolding was erected outside the performing arts center as onlookers gathered to watch the process. The Kennedy Center's board of trustees had sought an extension, citing thunderstorms that delayed the work, but stated that removal was ongoing and expected to be completed overnight. Workers covered the scaffolding with tarps before starting the removal, leaving the site around 3:30 a.m. without confirming if all lettering had been taken down.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper denied a last-minute request from the Kennedy Center to halt the order, stating that the center had not shown that its appeal was likely to succeed. Trump had previously reshaped the institution after returning to office, including the addition of his name to the building in December 2025, which read: 'Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.'
In his ruling, Cooper indicated that only Congress has the authority to change the Kennedy Center's name and also barred the administration from closing the venue for a planned two-year renovation project set to begin in July. The Kennedy Center argued that the renovations were urgently needed due to serious structural concerns, including potentially dangerous conditions. Despite the ongoing legal challenges, the Kennedy Center has begun to comply with the ruling, instructing staff to refer to the institution as 'The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' or simply 'Kennedy Center.'