US Judge Orders Trump’s Name Removed from Kennedy Centre, Blocks Venue Closure

President Donald Trump has announced plans to transfer full operational control of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to Congress, following a federal court ruling that ordered the removal of Trump’s name from the iconic Washington venue and blocked his administration’s plans to shut it down for a sweeping renovation.

Taking to social media, Trump stated that he had directed the US Commerce Department to

and assign lawmakers responsibility for the Centre’s ongoing operation, maintenance, and management. The precise mechanism by which such a transfer could be executed remains legally unclear, given that the Kennedy Centre was established by Congress in 1958 and is governed by a board of trustees — a body Trump has filled with political allies during his second term.

The announcement followed a landmark ruling on Friday by US District Judge Christopher Cooper, who determined that the performing arts venue — which Trump had unilaterally renamed the “Trump Kennedy Centre” — cannot be given a new name without a formal act of Congress. Judge Cooper issued a 14-day deadline for the Trump administration to take down all physical signage bearing Trump’s name and remove any references to a “Trump Kennedy Centre” from official materials and communications.

Cooper wrote in his ruling, adding with equal clarity:

Responding to the ruling on Truth Social, Trump argued that large-scale renovations scheduled to begin next month could not be carried out while the venue remained open to the public, warning of safety risks.

Trump wrote, signalling his intent to distance himself from the institution rather than comply with the court order.

The lawsuit was filed by Ohio Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty, who holds a seat on the Kennedy Centre’s board by virtue of her position in Congress. Following the ruling, Beatty issued a pointed statement declaring that the

Her legal team also welcomed the decision in strong terms, with attorneys Norm Eisen and Nathaniel Zelinsky stating:

Push to remake Washington

The Kennedy Centre dispute forms part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to physically reshape Washington’s monumental landscape. Trump’s broader plans include constructing a 250-foot arch and building a 90,000-square-foot ballroom at the site of the demolished East Wing of the White House — initiatives that are themselves facing separate legal challenges. A federal appeals court has permitted the ballroom project to proceed while a related lawsuit works its way through the courts.

Beatty had originally brought her case against the administration in December, condemning the renaming of the building as

that

The Kennedy Centre, which first opened its doors in 1971 as a living national memorial to the late President John F. Kennedy, remains one of the most prominent cultural institutions in the United States.