A three-judge panel recently denied a request from the Kennedy Center’s board to reinstate President Donald Trump’s name to the institution. The board is appealing an earlier ruling that declared the name change illegal and ordered its reversal.
This decision marks another setback for the board of trustees, chaired by Trump. The controversy began earlier this year when the Kennedy Center’s name changed to “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” This change and the subsequent legal battle have been seen as part of Trump’s efforts to solidify his legacy in the nation’s capital during his final term.
The judges indicated that the board’s request did not demonstrate how the absence of Trump’s name would cause irreparable harm during the appeal process. The board argued that the name removal could hinder fundraising, but the judges found this claim lacked supporting facts or evidence. The Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who filed the lawsuit, remarked, “His name no longer desecrates this sacred memorial, which belongs to the American people.” She asserted, “Now it is time for the Trump administration to accept this, comply with the law, and take the tarps down.”
Beatty referred to tarps that cover scaffolding, obscuring the removal of Trump’s name while still veiling part of the building’s marble facade. This legal saga began when Trump appointed new members to the Kennedy Center’s board upon taking office in 2025, and his name was promptly added to the building. A federal judge later deemed the name change illegal, leading to the current court proceedings.