A recent decision by a three-judge panel has determined that during an ongoing appeal, Donald Trump is prohibited from reattaching his name to the Kennedy Center’s white marble facade. The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit dismissed a request by the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees, overseen by Trump, to maintain the president’s name at the institution while challenging a previous ruling mandating its removal.
Earlier this year, the institution was renamed as The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a change deemed unlawful by US District Judge Christopher Cooper in May. Cooper stated that only Congress holds the authority to rename the center and instructed the removal of Trump’s name.
Following unsuccessful attempts to block the ruling, the Trump administration complied, leading to the removal of the president’s name from the center’s facade and signage last month, which is currently concealed from public view behind a tarp.
In their ruling issued on Wednesday, the panel of judges expressed that the board’s plea failed to demonstrate irreparable harm if Trump’s name remains off the building throughout the appeal process. The board contended that the removal could hinder fundraising efforts, but the judges found this claim lacking specific facts or evidence.
When Trump assumed office in 2025, he replaced the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees, who subsequently appointed him as chairman. The lawsuit challenging the renaming was initiated by Joyce Beatty, a Democratic representative from Ohio and a member of the Kennedy Center board.
Reacting to the recent ruling, Congresswoman Beatty affirmed, “Today’s ruling validates that the administration’s attempts to rename the Kennedy Center were unlawful.” She further stated, “His name no longer defiles this revered memorial, which is the property of the American people. It is now imperative for the Trump administration to acknowledge this, adhere to the law, and remove the tarps.”
Last month, spectators gathered on the center’s plaza anticipating the removal of the signage, yet a tarp shrouded the scaffold erected for the task, obscuring the event.