President Donald Trump’s name has been removed from the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., following a federal court order. Workers completed the removal early Saturday morning, June 14, 2026, after last-minute legal delays and weather-related extensions were resolved.
The action stems from a May 29 ruling by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who found that the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees violated federal law by adding Trump’s name to the institution. The judge ruled that Congress alone holds authority to change the center’s name, originally established in 1964 as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Only an act of Congress can alter that designation.
The dispute escalated last year when Trump-appointed board members voted to incorporate his name in recognition of his support for the center. The decision triggered lawsuits from lawmakers and artists. Representative Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio serving as an ex officio board member, filed suit after being excluded from key votes, arguing the renaming breached the center’s founding statute.
Beyond removing the name from the building’s exterior, signage, website, and all official materials, Judge Cooper also blocked the center’s planned two-year closure for renovations. Appeals by the board failed, and courts denied most extension requests, though a brief delay was granted due to thunderstorms. By Saturday morning, the Kennedy Center had fully reverted to its original name, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.
The episode represents a notable legal defeat for the administration’s attempts to reshape prominent cultural institutions in the nation’s capital. Trump criticized the ruling on social media, calling it politically motivated. Center officials confirmed compliance with the court order, stating all references to Trump have been eliminated.
This development underscores ongoing debates about presidential influence over national cultural landmarks and the separation of powers in managing historic institutions. As the center moves forward under its restored name, the ruling reaffirms legal protections for its original identity.