Judge Orders Trump’s Name Removed From Kennedy Center, US President Hands Venue Back To Congress

Washington: A federal judge has dealt a massive blow to US President Donald Trump’s plans for the Kennedy Center, ruling that his name was unlawfully added to the Washington arts venue and halting the administration’s bid to shut it for a 2 years renovation. Following the court's decision, Trump stated that he was stepping back entirely. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he declared that he would end his involvement and instruct his administration to “make all necessary arrangements” to transfer the institution back to Congress.

The judge's ruling was the latest legal setback for Trump’s push to put his personal stamp on some of the capital’s most recognisable landmarks, a drive that has already reshaped parts of the White House and other federal buildings.

US District Judge Christopher Cooper found that the Kennedy Center board’s March 16 vote to close the facility was “ill-informed and seemingly preordained” and showed no regard for its legal duties. “The trustees might have assessed the propriety of closure in a number of prudent ways. This was not one,” Cooper noted.

He concluded that the board had overstepped its statutory bounds by placing Trump’s name at the centre without approval. The judge said that Congress named the venue and only Congress can change it. The judge ordered the defendants to strip Trump’s name from the facade and from any official materials, digital or physical, within two weeks.

“May the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts be renamed absent Congressional authorisation? The answer, plain from the face of the statute, is no. Nor can any other individual be memorialised on the front portico of the building,” Cooper observed. 

Trump Lashes Out At Ruling

Reacting on Truth Social, Trump said that the judge “should be ashamed of himself”. He added, “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'.” Notably, the administration had planned to start work in July, with the closure expected to last roughly 2 years. Meanwhile, Judge Cooper’s order puts those plans on hold for now.

Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has sought to leave his mark across Washington. He demolished the East Wing to construct a ballroom, and his name or image has been added to sites including the US Institute of Peace and Justice Department headquarters. He is also pressing for a triumphal arch overlooking the Potomac River. The opponents have challenged several of the projects in court and secured favourable rulings, though the administration is pursuing appeals.

Kennedy Center Defends Need For Restoration

In the meantime, Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations, said that the institution was “confident that on appeal the court will uphold the Board’s will to recognise President Trump’s historic contributions to our nation’s cultural center.” She said the ruling would be reviewed “carefully".

“Though the reality remains — the Center requires an urgent and significant restoration – a truth that even the plaintiff acknowledges……With $257 million secured by President Trump and approved by Congress, the resources are in place and we remain committed to pursuing every lawful avenue to ensure the Trump Kennedy Center is restored as a national cultural landmark for all Americans to enjoy,” Daravi said.

Preservation Fears Drive Legal Challenge

Judge Cooper held hearings in late April on two parallel suits, including the one brought by cultural and historic preservation groups and the other came from Representative Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and ex officio board member. The judge sided with Beatty but dismissed the other case. Beatty called it a win for the Kennedy Center and the performing arts. “Now hopefully people can come back to work, we can continue to be the Kennedy Center that we were intended to be,” she said. 

Justice Department lawyers had argued that the renovation was limited in scope and fell within the board’s powers. But plaintiffs warned that the White House could sidestep preservation rules meant to protect the building’s historic fabric. They cited Trump’s remark that he would “fully expose” the steel skeleton. Beatty said that she was very fearful that they would see what happened with the East Wing and what happened with the Rose Garden if the work went ahead unsupervised.

Kennedy Center executive director Mike Floca spent weeks this spring guiding lawmakers, journalists and city officials through the 1.5 million sq ft complex, which began construction in 1965. The tours revealed severe water damage, discolouration and pooling, along with decades-old equipment, including 800-ton chillers in need of replacement. Floca said that he had weighed doing repairs piecemeal but eventually recommended to Trump that the building be closed to tackle the work all at once.

Notably, Trump, who installed a handpicked board that elected him chairman, has kept a close watch on operations. His name was added to the facade of the building, a living memorial to President John F Kennedy.