Kennedy Center Removes Trump Name Overnight After Court Order
"The law establishing the center makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name."
— U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper
Workers in Washington, D.C., removed the name of President Donald Trump from the exterior of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the early hours of June 13, 2026, complying with a federal court order. The Trump administration's last-minute attempts to delay the removal had been rejected by higher courts.
Timeline of Events
December 2025
The Kennedy Center's board, which had been reconstituted by the Trump administration, voted to rename the building "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts." Workers affixed Trump's name to the facade the following day.
Late May 2026
Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the board's action was invalid, stating that Congress had designated the venue solely for President John F. Kennedy. The order mandated the removal of all signage bearing Trump's name within two weeks.
June 12, 2026 (Deadline)
The Justice Department filed a notice that the government would miss the court-ordered deadline of 11:59 p.m., citing weather-related concerns. The Kennedy Center also requested a 12-hour delay, referencing thunderstorms. The appeals court denied the request for a pause.
Early June 13, 2026
Workers erected scaffolding and draped it with a tarpaulin to obscure the removal process. Removal of the letters began around 3:10 a.m. and took approximately 30 minutes. Kennedy Center Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director Matt Floca confirmed in a court filing later that day that all physical signage bearing Trump's name had been removed from the building and grounds.
Legal and Administrative Context
The Kennedy Center was established by Congress and named after President John F. Kennedy. The Trump administration appointed a new board, selected Trump as chairman, and voted to add his name to the venue. The administration argued that the name change helped attract donors for renovations.
Representative Joyce Beatty (D-OH), a board member, challenged the renaming in court, arguing that only Congress could change the institution's legal name. Judge Cooper's opinion stated that the law establishing the center "makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name." The Justice Department's appeal was rejected by a higher court.
Actions Following the Court Order
- All physical signage bearing the name "Donald J. Trump" was removed from the building's exterior.
- References to "The Trump Kennedy Center" or the revised name were removed from the venue's website.
- A tarpaulin remained in place over the scaffolding, obscuring the original lettering on the facade as of the latest reports.
Public Response
A crowd of several hundred people gathered near the Kennedy Center to observe the removal. Some onlookers criticized the use of the tarpaulin to obscure the process, describing it as a lack of transparency. Social media users also commented on the use of a tarp to hide the removal.