The Kennedy Center’s board of trustees voted on Thursday to appeal a federal judge’s order requiring the removal of President Donald Trump’s name from the performing arts building by Friday. The appeal follows U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper’s ruling that the addition of Trump’s name was unlawful because it circumvented Congress, which named the center through federal law after President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. The board’s decision came hours before the deadline to remove all references to Trump from the center’s signage, digital materials, and branding. As of Thursday evening, Trump’s name remained on the building’s exterior but had been removed from the center’s website, social media accounts, and shuttle buses. An activist group, Hands Off the Arts, livestreamed the removal process to ensure compliance with the judge’s order.
Judge Cooper also blocked a planned two-year renovation of the Kennedy Center, which Trump had proposed to address water damage and rusting. Trump criticized the judge’s decision, accusing him of partisan bias and suggesting his wife, an attorney representing former President Joe Biden, influenced the ruling. The White House confirmed it would file a formal notice of appeal on Friday. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), who filed the lawsuit, welcomed the judge’s decision, while Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), an ex officio board member, opposed the appeal, stating he wanted to focus on supporting the arts.
The Kennedy Center’s leadership was overhauled by Trump shortly after his return to office, with the previous board replaced by Trump-appointed trustees. The new board unanimously approved the name change in December, renaming the center to include Trump’s name. The judge’s ruling emphasized that only Congress has the authority to rename the center, as it was established by statute.