The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is fighting to maintain its appeal of a federal court order requiring Trump’s name be removed from the building, even as large tarps continue to obscure the facade where the president’s name was stripped away on June 12, 2026.
U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper ruled on May 29 that Trump’s name had been illegally added to the Kennedy Center, which was established by Congress and can only be renamed by Congress. Cooper ordered the name removed from all physical and digital materials by June 12, citing the center’s establishing law, which makes it clear the facility “is to be named for President Kennedy.”
Workers removed Trump’s name from the facade in the early morning hours of June 12, meeting the court-ordered deadline after the Kennedy Center board’s last-minute legal attempts to block the removal failed. An appeals court denied the board’s request for an emergency stay late Friday night, and Judge Cooper himself rejected a pause on the ruling earlier that day.
Yet a week later, massive tarps still cover the area where Trump’s name stood, blocking public view of the restored facade. Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi told the Washington Post the tarps are up to repair the marble facade, though no timeline for their removal has been announced. In a court filing on Saturday, Kennedy Center lawyers said the center is now in “full compliance” with the court order, specifically noting it has “removed signage ‘that purports to rename the Kennedy Center after President Trump.'”
The continued covering has drawn criticism from Democratic members of Congress. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland called the tarps “a literal coverup” on social media, saying Trump “got caught vandalizing federal property” by adding his name to the center. Rep. Mike Levin of California accused the Kennedy Center of “hiding the sign” with “no plans” to take the tarp down. Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, who filed the original lawsuit challenging Trump’s name being added to the building, posted a video mocking the Kennedy Center for removing his name behind a tarp.
The Appeal Continues
Despite the removal, the Kennedy Center board voted to appeal Judge Cooper’s ruling, which could take weeks to resolve. The board also pursued a last-minute legal battle to block the court order on Friday before the removal deadline, which failed. In legal filings, Kennedy Center officials have suggested they would restore Trump’s name if the appeal succeeds, saying in a filing the center would “revert back to the current name”—referring to the “Trump Kennedy Center” name—if the appeal is successful.
Judge Cooper has also ordered the Kennedy Center to inform the court of its construction plans and steps to ensure public access and ongoing programming after July 5, 2026. The judge’s May ruling had blocked the center from closing for two years of renovations as Trump had advocated for, saying the board’s decision to close was “ill-informed and seemingly preordained” based on “insufficient, one-sided presentation of information” that failed to consider the center’s “statutory obligations.”
Notably, despite the court order requiring Trump’s name be removed, the Kennedy Center board voted to establish an endowment fund bearing Trump’s name. The board approved the “Trump Kennedy Center Fund,” which is intended to “recognize President Donald J. Trump’s significant contributions and dedication to America’s premier cultural center,” according to Kennedy Center officials. The fund is focused on addressing the building’s physical disrepair.
Trump’s name was added to the Kennedy Center in December 2025 by his handpicked board of trustees after he took control of the institution. The addition prompted Rep. Beatty to file her lawsuit, arguing it violated the center’s establishing law. About 150 people gathered at the Kennedy Center on the morning of June 12 hoping to watch Trump’s name be removed, but the tarp blocked their view.
Sources
- Forbes — Kennedy Center’s compliance status, tarp timeline, appeals court rejection of stay, judge’s order for construction updates, endowment fund establishment
- The New York Times — Judge Cooper’s May 29 ruling, legal basis for removal, May decision details
- Reuters — Trump’s appeal of court order, Judge Cooper’s ruling on name removal
- AP News — Removal of Trump’s name on June 12, tarp remaining in place
- CNN — Kennedy Center’s removal confirmation, tarp coverage
- NBC News — Kennedy Center lawyers’ removal of Trump references, board’s last-minute legal battle
