A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled Friday that President Donald Trump’s name was illegally added to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and temporarily blocked the administration’s plan to close the venue for major renovations.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper found that the Kennedy Center board exceeded its legal authority when it voted to add Trump’s name to the building. Cooper wrote that Congress established the center’s official name and that only Congress can change it or authorize another individual to be memorialized on its façade. He ordered Trump’s name removed from the building and official materials within two weeks.
The ruling also halted a planned two-year closure, which the administration had said would begin in July. Cooper described the board’s March vote to close the center as insufficiently considered and not in line with its statutory responsibilities.
Trump criticized the decision on social media and said he had directed his administration to arrange for control of the institution to be returned to Congress. Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi said the center would review the ruling and expressed confidence in an appeal, while stating that the building still requires significant restoration.
The case was brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who serves as an ex officio board member. Cooper ruled in her favour, while rejecting a related lawsuit from preservation and cultural groups. Beatty said the decision would allow the center to continue operating as intended.
The dispute is part of a broader series of legal challenges to Trump-backed projects in Washington, including changes to federal buildings and the White House grounds. Supporters of the Kennedy Center renovation point to water damage and aging equipment as evidence of need. Critics have questioned the scope of the work and raised concerns about preservation oversight.
Performances at the center have continued, though at a reduced pace, while appeals are expected.