Kennedy Center Board Says It Will Delay Adding Trump’s Name to the Center by One Month
The Kennedy Center board told a federal judge on Thursday it will pause efforts to add President Donald Trump’s name to the building until at least October 8, delaying the plan by one month amid ongoing litigation. The dispute follows a Justice Department filing warning the center could be demolished and replaced with an outdoor amphitheater if the board is not allowed to close it for two years for repairs, while the board seeks to inscribe “Restored and renovated by President Donald J. Trump” beneath John F. Kennedy’s name. Trump’s name was added in December 2025, but U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ordered it removed in May 2026, ruling only Congress can change the center’s name; it was removed in June, though the board continued pursuing renaming and has kept the façade covered by a tarp. The DOJ argues Trump secured $258 million in congressional funding in 2025 and helped recruit donors, while Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty has challenged the move as violating congressional authority and Cooper’s prior order.
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This story was covered in Museum Scandals, Censorship Clashes, and a Stolen Jewel