A federal judge ruled Friday that President Donald Trump’s name must be removed from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, declaring that only Congress—not the Center’s Board of Trustees—has the authority to officially rename the historic institution.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, an Obama appointee, said that the board exceeded its legal authority when it moved to rename the venue. As a result, the Trump administration will be required to remove signage bearing Trump’s name and eliminate references to a “Trump-Kennedy Center” from official materials.
“The Kennedy Center’s organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board’s unilateral say-so,” Cooper wrote in his ruling. “Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.”
The decision stems from a lawsuit brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, who argued that the renaming effort violated federal law governing the institution.
The Kennedy Center’s leadership quickly signaled that the fight is far from over.
Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations for the Trump Kennedy Center, said the board intends to appeal the ruling and remains focused on addressing long-standing problems at the facility.
“We will review the decision carefully,” Daravi said. “With $257 million secured by President Trump and approved by Congress, the resources are in place and we remain committed to pursuing every lawful avenue to ensure the Trump Kennedy Center is restored as a national cultural landmark for all Americans to enjoy.”
The legal battle comes as Trump’s administration has pushed forward with a major rehabilitation effort for the Kennedy Center. Congress approved $257 million in funding through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to address maintenance issues, security needs, repairs, and capital improvements that critics say were neglected for years.
Interestingly, even as opponents celebrate the ruling, the funding secured under Trump remains in place. So while lawyers argue over the name on the building, the money for restoring the building itself is still coming from policies championed by Trump.
The judge’s ruling did not affect the broader renovation project. Cooper had previously rejected an attempt by a preservation group to block the planned two-year closure needed for rehabilitation work.
Beatty praised Friday’s decision, calling it a victory for the rule of law and arguing that the Kennedy Center belongs to the American people rather than any individual political figure.
Supporters of Trump, however, point to the larger picture: regardless of what name appears on the front of the building, the administration secured hundreds of millions of dollars to restore one of America’s most iconic cultural institutions.
As the appeal process moves forward, the debate over the Kennedy Center’s future is likely to continue. But one thing remains clear—Washington’s legal battles never seem to take center stage quite like the performances inside the theater itself.
