U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in late May 2026 that the renaming of the Kennedy Center to include Donald Trump’s name was unlawful and ordered its removal by June 12 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The venue had been renamed "Donald J Trump Kennedy Center" in December 2025 by the board, which was controlled by Trump allies after he appointed himself chairman in February 2025, all without congressional approval [1, 7, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9].
The Kennedy Center, a national cultural institution named for President John F. Kennedy since 1971, is congressionally designated, meaning only Congress can authorize such changes [1, 2, 3, 10, 5]. Judge Cooper said, "Defendants have not carried their burden to establish that a stay of the Court's ... permanent injunction concerning the Kennedy Center's renaming is warranted pending an appeal" [4]. Ohio Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty’s lawyer said, "The law is clear; only Congress can change the Kennedy Center’s name" [10].
The Trump administration and Kennedy Center board appealed the removal order and sought to delay or extend the deadline, but all appeals were denied, including by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on June 12 [1, 7, 2, 3, 10, 11, 6]. After weather delays, workers began removing Trump’s name from the front facade on June 13 and it was also removed from the Center’s website [1, 10, 12, 11, 8, 9].
Trump publicly responded by declaring he was transferring control of the Kennedy Center to Congress [2]. He also criticized the legal ruling, stating, "Unfortunately, Judge Cooper and the Radical Left would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it into something that everyone could be proud of" [5]. Trump also said he had "no interest in continuing" involvement after the court blocked both the closure and name change plans [9].
Judge Cooper also blocked Trump’s proposal to close the Kennedy Center for a two-year renovation beginning in July 2026 [1, 2, 3, 8, 9]. Some local residents viewed the removal of Trump’s name as a victory to uphold the Center’s original congressional designation. Washington resident Selbaroli said, "The Kennedy Center is one of my favorite places; removing Trump’s name is a big victory" [12].
