In a significant event early on June 13, workers at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts removed President Trump’s name from its marble facade under a court order. However, questions linger due to massive tarps concealing the building’s front.
“I don’t know if they took down the sign, because I can’t see it,” said Luna Woo, a violinist from Portland, Ore., visiting for the National Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Music Institute.
A New York Times photographer spotted the letter ‘A’ from Trump’s name being removed through a gap in the tarps. Another captured ‘D’ being taken down. Despite this evidence, the tarps remain in place, leading to speculation and questioning of the removal.
The Kennedy Center’s operations chief, Matt Floca, confirmed in a court declaration that Trump’s name had been removed. Yet, as of Friday evening, no visual proof confirmed the building’s return to “The John F. Kennedy Center Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
The tarps make it impossible to view any progress behind them, as they cling tightly to the building’s front. A Kennedy Center spokeswoman, Roma Daravi, explained via email that the tarps would remain as crews conduct maintenance on the marble and soffit panels.
For Trump’s supporters, the ongoing situation seems trivial, a sentiment shared by a theatergoer unwilling to reveal her identity. In contrast, opponents view the tarps as a representation of Trump’s delicate ego.