Trump's name set to be stripped from Kennedy Center as appeal fails

An appeals court in Washington D.C. has denied the Kennedy Center's last-ditch effort to keep President Donald Trump's name displayed on the building, leaving the institution with little recourse but to remove it. Workers were observed erecting scaffolding around the section of the building bearing the former president's name as a court-ordered deadline loomed. A crowd gathered nearby, cheering the impending removal, with some having consistently protested the renaming since it occurred last December. Last month, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that Trump's name had been illegally added to the performing arts facility and mandated its removal by Friday. The judge also blocked the administration from closing the venue for major renovations planned to begin in July. In response, Trump declared he would transfer control of the venue to Congress, though the mechanism for this was unclear. Trump's appointed board at the center made a final appeal late Thursday, arguing the renovations were essential and accusing the lower court of overreach. The board's submission highlighted potential structural damage, including rusted beams and parking garage ceilings, posing a risk of collapse. Judge Cooper denied this request Friday afternoon, and a subsequent appeal was also rejected Friday evening. Despite the legal fight, the Kennedy Center had already begun complying with the initial ruling, with a June 4 memo instructing staff to remove Trump's name from email signatures, letterheads, and other official documents. The center's website has also dropped the name, and recent communications to members have referred to it simply as "The Kennedy Center."

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The District Court is not allowing us to close in order to properly fix up and repair the Building, including potentially life threatening structural damage like beams and parking garage ceilings that are rusted, and in serious danger of falling onto people below. Indeed, total collapse!