Donald Trump’s name is being removed from the façade of the Kennedy Centre in Washington following a court order. Implementation of the ruling was delayed due to a storm in the US capital, but the removal will be completed on Saturday morning. The court ruled that the renaming of the institution was carried out unlawfully, and plans to close the centre for two years for renovation have been blocked.
- Trump’s name is to be removed from the façade of the Kennedy Centre.
- The court ordered the name to be removed by 12 June, but the weather has delayed the process.
- The Court of Appeal has rejected the Trump administration’s request to stay the ruling.
- The name of the Kennedy Centre was changed without the approval of Congress, as the court recognised.
Court ruling to remove Trump's name from the Kennedy Centre
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia Christopher Cooper decided that the name Donald Trump was added without authorisation to the name of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He issued an order for its removal by 12 June. Furthermore, the court barred the Trump administration from closing the centre for a two-year refurbishment.
Delay in dismantling due to weather conditions
Work to remove the president’s name began on Friday with the erection of scaffolding on the façade, but it was not possible to complete the work due to stormy conditions in Washington. Lawyers from the Department of Justice informed the court that the work would continue on Saturday morning. The delay was due to worker safety concerns, but the obligation to comply with the ruling remained unchanged.
Rejection of the administration’s appeals
The Trump administration appealed to the Court of Appeal to suspend the implementation of Cooper’s ruling and to allow the name to remain on the building pending the appeal. The judges rejected this urgent request, emphasising that there were no grounds for a delay. The ruling was made by two judges appointed under the Obama administration and one under Trump.
Legal context and the parties’ positions
The lawsuit was filed by a Member of Congress Joyce Beatty, who is a member of the Kennedy Centre’s board of directors. She challenged the name change, arguing that only Congress has the authority to make such changes. The court agreed with this position and ruled the renaming unlawful. The defendants’ lawyers argued that Trump’s name was important for attracting donations and that frequent changes could cause confusion.
The impact on the Kennedy Centre’s activities and future
Following the court ruling, the administration began restoring the centre to its original name, removing Trump’s name from its online resources. The board of directors, appointed with Trump’s support, had previously sought to change the nature of the institution’s activities. The ban on closing the centre for two years for renovation means that major refurbishments will have to be reconsidered or postponed.
Political and cultural implications
The Kennedy Centre is a national memorial dedicated to John F. Kennedy and a key cultural institution in the US. The court ruling underscores Congress’s control over the centre’s name and status. The removal of Trump’s name symbolises a legal and political response to the administration’s attempts to influence cultural institutions through personal projects.
