The Kennedy Center removed all references to President Donald Trump from its signage, interior, and online materials on Saturday [1, 3].
The move follows a legal battle over the authority of the institution's board to rename the venue. Because the board was appointed by Trump, a federal judge ruled they lacked the authority to make such changes, leading to a court mandate for the removal of the name [5].
Crews worked to clear the signage after the institution missed a previous deadline on Friday [2]. The court subsequently issued an extended order requiring all references to be gone by noon on Saturday, June 13, 2026 [1].
Reports on the completion of the work varied throughout the day. The Associated Press said that Trump's name remained on the facade of the building despite the Friday deadline [2]. However, The New York Times said that the name was removed from the facade overnight on Saturday [3].
By Saturday night, NBC News said that all references inside, outside, and online had been removed in compliance with the extended court order [1]. The removal process included physical signage, and digital materials across the institution's platforms [1, 3].
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a primary cultural landmark in Washington, D.C. The legal dispute centered on whether the board's appointment process invalidated their ability to alter the venue's branding [5].
“All references to President Donald Trump inside, outside, and online have been removed.”
This ruling underscores a judicial limit on the power of presidential appointees to alter the identity of federal cultural institutions. By overturning the board's decision, the court has reinforced the legal distinction between administrative appointments and the statutory authority required to rename a national landmark.
