Workers on Saturday began removing President Donald Trump’s name from the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The action follows a federal court ruling that declared the renaming of the institution unlawful without congressional approval.
The process began on June 13, one day after a U.S. District Judge denied a last-minute appeal from the center’s board of trustees to block the removal. On May 29, Judge Christopher Cooper had ruled that the board’s December 2025 decision to add the president’s name to the building was improper, stating that only the U.S. Congress holds the authority to legislate such a change. The court had set a 14-day deadline for the name to be taken down.
In his final decision on Friday, Judge Cooper wrote that the public interest “is rarely served by the ’perpetuation’ of ’unlawful’ governmental action.”
The Kennedy Center’s governing board, whose members were appointed during the Trump administration, voted in December to change the name to the “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” The new signage was installed shortly thereafter. According to reports at the time, several artists canceled scheduled performances in response to the name change.
Judge Cooper also issued a temporary block on a separate plan by the board to close the center for a two-year renovation period. Following that ruling, President Trump stated he had “no interest in continuing” his involvement with the institution.
The naming of federal buildings and properties has been a recurring theme during the Trump presidency. The U.S. Institute of Peace was renamed the Donald J. Trump U.S. Institute of Peace before the organization ceased operations.
Separately, the White House has announced plans to feature Trump’s image on a proposed $250 bill to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The U.S. State Department also stated it would issue special edition passports bearing Trump’s image and signature to mark the anniversary.
Another administration project, the proposed construction of a new ballroom in place of the White House’s east wing, is currently facing a legal challenge in federal court from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
