The Kennedy Center plans to inscribe President Donald Trump’s name on its building in early September, delaying the restoration until after Labor Day following a legal challenge by Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty. Lawyers for the performing arts venue told a federal judge on August 19 that they will not add the inscription before September 8 at the earliest, according to court filings.
The inscription would read “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” and appear below the Kennedy Center’s main sign. The board voted unanimously on August 13 to approve both the inscription and a two-year closure for renovations, testing the boundaries of a federal court’s earlier ruling that blocked Trump’s name from the building.
In May 2026, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that Trump’s name had been illegally added to the building and that only Congress has the authority to change its official name. Judge Cooper wrote in his 94-page decision that it was “crystal clear” the arts complex was named for the late President John F. Kennedy. The administration was ordered to remove Trump’s name within 14 days, and workers complied in June, though white tarps and scaffolding have remained on the building’s facade since then.
The board’s latest strategy shifts from renaming the building outright to adding an inscription—a distinction the Trump administration argues may sidestep the judge’s ruling. However, Beatty’s lawyers have already signaled they will ask Judge Cooper to block this new approach before September 8, calling it “a direct contravention of its earlier decision and in naked defiance of the law.”
Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and ex-officio trustee of the Kennedy Center’s board, brought the original lawsuit in December 2025. The case is part of a broader legal fight over Trump’s efforts to leave a lasting mark on historic Washington sites through renovations and name changes. The board, which includes individuals handpicked by Trump, has pursued the naming effort despite the court’s explicit prohibition.
The center also plans to rename the physical grounds surrounding the building in Trump’s honor and said an additional reference to Trump could be added to the front of the building itself if an endowment reaches $100 million. The legal dispute underscores the ongoing tension between the Trump administration’s vision for the iconic performing arts venue and congressional intent to honor President Kennedy’s legacy.
Sources
- CNN — Kennedy Center’s plan to add Trump’s name inscription by September 8, court filings, and legal challenge by Rep. Beatty’s lawyers.
- New York Times — Kennedy Center board’s August 13 vote to inscribe Trump’s name and the inscription text.
- NBC News — U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper’s May 29 ruling that only Congress can change the Kennedy Center’s name and the 14-day removal deadline.
- PBS NewsHour — Trump’s name removal from the building in June 2026 following the court order.
- Rep. Joyce Beatty’s office — Details of Beatty’s legal challenge and her role as ex-officio trustee.
