A federal judge ruled that President Trump's renaming of the Kennedy Center was unlawful, ordering the removal of his name and blocking a planned two-year closure. The Kennedy family celebrated the decision.
A federal judge on Monday ordered President Donald Trump 's name removed from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ruling that the board's unilateral renaming was unlawful and that only Congress has the authority to change the name of the federally chartered institution.
The 94-page decision, handed down in May 2026 by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, also temporarily blocked the venue's planned two-year closure for renovations, throwing the future of the building into uncertainty. Cooper found that the Kennedy Center's organic statute clearly states the center is to be named for President Kennedy and cannot bear any other formal name based on the board's unilateral decision. He wrote that Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.
The judge also halted Trump's planned shutdown of the venue, which was originally scheduled to begin in July 2026 to coincide with the country's 250th anniversary. Cooper determined that none of the board members had sufficient information in advance of the March 16 meeting to make a well-considered decision to close the center.
However, he left the door open for the board to revisit the closure if it independently weighs its multiple obligations to the center in a prudent fashion. In compliance with the ruling, the Kennedy Center issued a memo instructing staff to immediately change email signatures, letterhead, and other documents to reflect the name as The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts or simply Kennedy Center.
Other changes, such as to templates, forms, signage, brochures, and website pages, were ordered to be completed by June 12, 2026. According to the Associated Press, Trump's name had already been quietly removed from the center's official website, voicemail, and YouTube channel in the days leading up to the memo. The controversy began when Trump, upon his second term as president in January 2025, appointed himself the president of the Kennedy Center and replaced the entire board of trustees.
The new board subsequently voted to rename the theater as The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Trump then announced plans to close the center on July 4, 2026, for a two-year construction period, promising to build a spectacular entertainment complex. The decision sparked outrage from the Kennedy family and many Americans who viewed the move as a political power grab.
Maria Shriver, the niece of President John F. Kennedy, celebrated the judge's ruling on social media, calling it an appropriate birthday present for her uncle. She acknowledged that the story is not over and that an appeal might follow, but she urged celebration for the day.
Jack Schlossberg, JFK's grandson, took a sharper tone, saying that Trump can try to take the Kennedy Center or even try to kill JFK's legacy, but that JFK is kept alive by people rising up to remove Donald Trump and restore freedoms. Meanwhile, Trump himself reacted angrily to the ruling, calling Judge Cooper a biased Obama appointee and vowing to push Congress to take the building off his hands entirely.
He claimed that the Kennedy Center was going to close for renovations due to years of neglect and that his administration would transform it into the finest facility of its kind. He instructed the Department of Commerce to take action.
The Trump Kennedy Center's vice president of public relations stated that with $257 million secured by Trump and approved by Congress, the resources are in place and they 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 ruling marks a significant legal setback for the Trump administration's efforts to reshape cultural institutions.
The Kennedy Center, originally named in honor of President John F. Kennedy after his assassination in 1963, has long been a symbol of American arts and culture. The judge's decision underscores the limits of executive power when it comes to federally chartered institutions and reinforces the role of Congress in such matters. As the legal battle continues, the center's operations remain in flux, with staff working to revert to the original name while preparing for potential appeals.
The Kennedy family's celebration of the ruling reflects the deep emotional connection many Americans feel to the legacy of JFK and the arts institution that bears his name. The case has also drawn attention to broader questions about the politicization of cultural landmarks and the extent to which a sitting president can unilaterally alter them.
With the future of the Kennedy Center still uncertain, the nation watches as this legal drama unfolds, balancing respect for tradition with the ambitions of a powerful executive. For now, the center remains open under its original name, and the planned closure is on hold. The coming months will likely see further appeals and congressional debate over the institution's name and governance.
This case serves as a reminder of the enduring influence of the Kennedy family and the legal safeguards that protect the legacy of one of America's most beloved presidents
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