Kennedy Center orders staff to remove Trump's name from building following federal decision

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington has been directed to remove President Donald Trump's name from its building, complying with a federal court ruling. A memo from the center's general counsel instructs staff to immediately update email signatures, letterhead, and other documents to reflect the original name: "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts" or simply "Kennedy Center."

Physical changes to signage, brochures, and websites must be completed by June 12. The directive stems from a May 29 ruling by a federal judge who stated the center could not be renamed without an act of Congress. US District Judge Christopher Cooper ordered the Trump administration to remove all physical signage bearing Trump's name and eliminate any references to a "Trump Kennedy Center" from official materials within 14 days.

Trump had added his name before Kennedy's on the building's facade in December 2025, a move that prompted a lawsuit from Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio, a member of the Kennedy Center's board. The renaming was part of Trump's broader initiative to reshape Washington's monumental core, which also includes plans for a promenade to the Lincoln Memorial and new structures near the White House. The Kennedy Center, originally opened in 1971 as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy, had its board vote to alter the name after Trump replaced several board members and appointed himself a trustee.

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You must immediately change email signatures, letterhead, and other documents to reflect the name as 'The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,' or 'Kennedy Center,'