Trump's name removed from Kennedy Center facade after court ruling

The name of former U.S. President Donald Trump is being removed from the facade of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., after a federal judge ruled the addition of his name unlawful. The removal process began Saturday, with a white tarp covering part of the lettering on the cultural center's exterior.

Federal Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in late May that Trump's directive to add his name to the center was illegal, stating that only the U.S. Congress has the authority to rename the institution. He ordered the removal within two weeks. Trump's name had already been taken down from the center's website earlier in the week.

The Kennedy Center's board and the Justice Department had sought to halt the removal, but Cooper rejected their request, emphasizing that "the public interest is rarely served by the continuation of unlawful government action." The board and Justice Department have appealed this decision to a higher court.

This ruling follows a previous injunction by Cooper that temporarily blocked Trump's plan to close the center for two years starting on the July 4th holiday, citing renovations. After taking office, Trump had dismissed the center's leadership and installed a new board, which then decided in December to place his name above that of former President John F. Kennedy.

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the public interest is rarely served by the continuation of unlawful government action.