U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ordered the removal of Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Friday.
The ruling establishes a legal boundary regarding the governance of the national cultural institution, asserting that administrative boards cannot unilaterally change the center's identity. This decision halts a significant rebranding effort that would have altered the venue's public image and operational status.
Judge Cooper blocked the board's plan to rename the venue and its accompanying proposal to close the facility for two years [1]. The judge ruled that the board overstepped its legal authority by attempting to rename the institution, stating that such power resides solely with the legislative branch.
"Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it," Cooper said.
The court found that the board's attempt to designate the facility as the Trump Kennedy Center was an unauthorized action. "The board's effort to rename the institution the Trump Kennedy Center was an unlawful effort," Cooper said.
By blocking the planned closure, the court ensures the venue remains open to the public during the period the board had intended to shut it down for the rebranding process [1]. The judge's order requires the immediate removal of the former president's name from the site, returning the focus to the original congressional mandate for the center's naming convention.
“"Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it."”
This ruling reinforces the legal principle that the Kennedy Center is a creation of federal law, meaning its fundamental identity is protected from the preferences of its appointed board. By stripping the board of the power to rename the venue, the court has shifted the battleground from an administrative level to the U.S. Congress, where any future name changes would require legislative action rather than a board vote.
