Donald Trump's name removed from Kennedy Center after court order

The name Donald Trump has been officially removed from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. Met Floka, the center's executive director and chief operating officer, confirmed in a legal filing that the words spelling out the former president's name have been taken down from the building's facade.

Scaffolding had been erected for workers to remove the lettering, obscuring immediate confirmation of the remaining title. However, Floka, as the responsible official, certified compliance with the court's order.

The order for removal came from a Washington D.C. court after a lawsuit was filed by Ohio Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. The controversy began in December when the center's board voted to rename the institution the "Donald Trump and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Memorial."

The original designation, "John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts," was established by Congress in 1964 in honor of the assassinated president. President Kennedy was instrumental in the center's creation, and his family's wealth helped finance its construction, which was completed in 1971.