Judge Orders Trump Name Removed From Kennedy Center and Halts Closure Plan
A federal judge said only Congress can change the Kennedy Center's name and blocked the planned full closure tied to renovations.
WASHINGTON | A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump's name removed from the Kennedy Center and halted a planned full closure of the performing arts venue, setting up another court fight over executive power, public institutions and control of the federally chartered center.
Axios reported that U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper signed the order Friday, concluding that the Kennedy Center board overstepped its statutory authority by attempting to rename the institution after Trump. The order gives the administration two weeks to remove the president's name from the building and signage around the facility.
The ruling also blocks the planned closure of the Kennedy Center, which had been scheduled to begin later this year so renovation work could proceed. The judge wrote that Congress gave the institution its name and that only Congress can change it.
The Kennedy Center said it would review the ruling and defended the need for restoration work. Trump criticized the decision publicly and suggested he had little interest in continuing the overhaul if his administration could not control the project. The dispute grew out of Trump-backed board changes and a lawsuit by Rep. Joyce Beatty, who challenged changes to board voting rights.
Additional Reporting By: CGN News review of reporting from Axios, federal court materials and public statements from the parties.