Judge blocks closure of Kennedy Center and orders removal of Trump's name
Judge says Congress alone can rename the center and gives trustees 14 days to remove Trump branding while the closure plan remains blocked.
- On Friday, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled the Kennedy Center board cannot rename the venue for President Donald Trump and blocked its planned two-year closure for renovations.
- Cooper concluded the board "overstepped its statutory bounds" by unilaterally renaming the venue in December, as the 1964 law establishing the center grants naming authority exclusively to Congress.
- Ohio Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty filed the lawsuit after the board stripped her voting rights; Cooper ruled the March closure decision was "ill-informed and seemingly preordained."
- Following the ruling, President Trump instructed the Commerce Department to "make all necessary arrangements with Congress to allow a full and complete transfer of this Institution."
- The court confirmed that capital repairs which the record "demonstrates is sorely needed" may continue; the board may independently re-evaluate closure plans after balancing statutory obligations.
671 Articles
671 Articles
Trump’s Name Won’t Be Coming off the Kennedy Center Just Yet, Despite Court Order
The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts on May 16, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Kennedy Center is scheduled to close for two years starting on July 4, 2026, for extensive renovations. —Al Drago—Getty ImagesInterior Secretary Doug Burgum would not commit to removing President Donald Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center on Sunday, despite a judge’s order requiring it to be done within two weeks. “I’m not sure…
Obama-appointed judge with ties to Biden’s personal lawyer blocks Trump from renaming Kennedy Center
A federal judge whose wife serves as Joe Biden’s personal attorney ruled Friday that President Trump cannot legally add his name to the Kennedy Center, and blocked the administration’s planned two-year closure of the venue for renovations. U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper, who has sat on the bench in the District of Columbia since...
US judge orders Trump name removed from Kennedy Center, blocks closure for repairs
The order, issued by US District Judge Christopher Cooper on Friday, requires the administration to eliminate references to Trump from the center and its online presence within 14 days.
Trump fumes after judge throws out Kennedy Center renovation plan, name change
The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts is seen in Washington, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts is seen in Washington, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts is seen in Washington, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)People hold a rally outside The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts as they react to a judge’s ruling i…
After a judge ordered Trump's name be removed from the Kennedy Center, president says it will 'soon be closed, probably never to open again'
Hours after Cooper's decision, Trump said he was backing away from the renovations and making arrangements to relinquish control to Congress.
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