Kennedy Center Board and DOJ appeals order to remove Trump’s name from Kennedy Center building
(June 12, 2026) The legal fight over the naming of the “John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” is escalating after the Kennedy Center’s Trump-appointed board and the no-longer apolitical U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) moved to appeal a federal judge’s order requiring President Donald Trump’s name to be removed from the building.
The appeal was filed June 11, just hours before a court-imposed deadline that directed the center to strip references to the “Trump Kennedy Center” from its facade and official materials. The Kennedy Center board, now largely composed of Trump allies, voted during a virtual meeting to pursue the appeal, while DOJ attorneys simultaneously filed a notice challenging the ruling in federal court.
U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper ruled in late May that the board lacked the authority to rename the federally chartered cultural institution, writing that Congress established the center as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy in 1964 and that “only Congress can change it.” The judge also temporarily blocked the administration’s plan to close the venue for a two-year renovation project.
What Trump said about the ruling: Trump sharply criticized the decision on social media, suggesting he was prepared to step away from his plans for the arts center if he could not fully direct its future.
“Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this Institution back, physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey into ‘NEVER NEVER LAND,’” Trump wrote.
He also accused Judge Cooper and political opponents of preferring to see the institution decline rather than allow him to reshape it, claiming they “would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it into something that everyone could be proud of.”
In court filings, Trump’s legal team argued that forcing the removal of his name before the appeal is resolved would waste time and money and could create unnecessary confusion if the decision is later overturned.
Opponents say the name change was unlawful: The challenge to the renaming effort was brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board, who argued that the board exceeded its legal authority by rebranding the institution without congressional approval.
Democratic lawmakers and legal scholars have maintained that the Kennedy Center’s name is protected under federal law and cannot be altered by board action alone. Critics also contend that adding Trump’s name to the building undermines its status as a national memorial dedicated to President Kennedy.
The controversy sparked widespread backlash from the arts community. Several prominent performers and cultural figures canceled appearances or resigned advisory roles after the renaming announcement, including actor Issa Rae, musician Béla Fleck, author Louise Penny, singer Renée Fleming, and musician Ben Folds.
Statements From Kennedy Family Members
What’s next? The Kennedy Center and DOJ are seeking a stay that would temporarily pause Judge Cooper’s order while the appeal is considered. If the district court declines that request, attorneys can ask the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to intervene.
Meanwhile, the center has already removed Trump’s name from its website, social media accounts, and many official communications in preparation for compliance – but it still remains mounted on the building’s exterior. Whether the president’s name must also come off the building itself now depends on the outcome of the emergency appeal and the broader legal challenge over who has the authority to rename one of the nation’s most prominent cultural landmarks.
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(Sources: New York Times, ABC News, Politico)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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