Trump’s Name Removed from Kennedy Center Following Court Order

The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., has begun removing former President Donald Trump's name, which had been added to the center's official title. This action comes after a court ruled that changing the name without congressional approval was illegal.

AP Yonhap News

According to the Washington Post (WP) on June 8 (local time), the Kennedy Center has deleted President Trump's name from its official website and YouTube page.

However, reports indicate that the building’s exterior still displays the name "Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts." President Trump's name also continues to appear on the center’s social media accounts, including Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).

This measure follows an order from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. On May 29, the court ruled that the Kennedy Center's name change was carried out without congressional approval and was therefore unlawful. The court then ordered the center to remove President Trump's name.

The deadline set by the court is June 12. Accordingly, the Kennedy Center must remove President Trump's name from all references, including the building's exterior, by that date. It is reported that on June 4, the center’s management instructed staff to complete the necessary work by June 12.

The Washington Post described this name removal as the most explicit and public retreat yet regarding President Trump’s efforts to take control of the Kennedy Center.

Since the start of his second administration, President Trump had actively intervened in the Kennedy Center's management as part of what he called a "culture war" against progressive groups. After replacing a large portion of the board, he assumed the role of chairperson himself. Subsequently, in December of last year, the Kennedy Center board unanimously voted to change the center’s name to the "Trump-Kennedy Center."

President Trump also announced plans to suspend operations for about two years beginning in July, citing a need for a complete renovation of the Kennedy Center. However, the court ordered not only the reversal of the name change but also the suspension of the renovation plans.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.