The US president has sought to reshape the capital’s image and institutions through a series of plans and projects.
Published June 12, 2026
President Donald Trump’s name will be removed from the facade of the Kennedy Center entertainment and cultural venue in Washington, D.C., after a judge denied his last-minute request to keep it.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper rejected an effort by the center’s board of directors, made up of Trump’s handpicked members, to overturn an earlier order removing his name from the building by Friday.
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The story is another example of President Trump’s efforts to make changes to major sites and institutions across the nation’s capital, changes he is trying to impose on himself through a series of planned projects that include the giant Arc de Triomphe and the White House ballroom.
Many of these efforts face legal challenges.
Mr. Trump fired the center’s previous leadership and appointed a board of directors that named him chairman.
Mr. Cooper ruled last month that adding Mr. Trump’s name to the exterior of the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center was illegal and ordered its removal.
“Unfortunately, Judge Cooper and the radical left would rather see this decision go away than have President Trump turn it into something we can all be proud of,” Trump said in a 580-word social media post at the time, speaking of himself in the third person.
A June 4 memo from the center’s general counsel’s office directed staff to use the names “John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center” or “Kennedy Center” in email signatures, letterhead and other documents. Trump’s name has also been removed from the center’s website.
But the board sought to reverse the change in appeal on Thursday, appealing an earlier ruling denying the stay request. Cooper denied the request Friday.
