Lead

A federal judge has ordered the removal of President Donald Trump's name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ruling that the iconic Washington venue cannot be renamed without an act of Congress. US District Judge Christopher Cooper also blocked the Trump administration from closing the center for major renovations, dealing a significant setback to the president's efforts to reshape the capital's cultural institutions.

Coverage comparison

The ruling, issued on May 29, has been reported by multiple outlets, with consistent details about the judge's decision. Al Jazeera reported that Cooper rejected a last-minute request from the center's board to keep Trump's name in place, while Deutsche Welle noted that the judge rebuked the Trump administration for its handling of the venue. The Guardian added that the board voted to seek a stay of the court-ordered deadline to remove Trump's name.

According to Deutsche Welle, Cooper wrote in his opinion that "Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it." The judge also ruled that the center's organic statute makes clear it "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."

Deutsche Welle further reported that Cooper described the board's vote to close the facility as "ill-informed and seemingly preordained," with no regard for its legal obligations. The Guardian noted that the board's move to seek a stay marked a shift from a previous memo instructing staff to use the original name.

Key claims

  • Judge's ruling: US District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that only Congress could institute a change to the Kennedy Center's name, as reported by multiple sources including The Guardian and the Jerusalem Post.
  • Removal order: Cooper ordered the removal of Trump's name from the building and its website, with a 14-day deadline for compliance, according to the Jerusalem Post.
  • Block on renovations: The judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from closing the Kennedy Center for repairs, as reported by the Jerusalem Post and Deutsche Welle.
  • Board's response: The Kennedy Center's board voted to seek a stay of the court-ordered deadline, according to The Guardian.
  • Name addition: Trump's name was added to the facade of the building in December, after the board renamed the venue "The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts," as reported by the Jerusalem Post and South China Morning Post.
  • Trump's reaction: Trump announced he was canceling his proposed renovation and returning control of the venue to Congress, according to Deutsche Welle. He also criticized the judge, saying Cooper "should be ashamed of himself" in a Truth Social post.

Perspectives

The Trump administration and the president himself have defended the actions, with Trump arguing that the planned renovations were necessary to address "neglect, decay, and poor maintenance" at the venue, as quoted by Deutsche Welle. In a social media post, Trump also dismissed the court decision, writing that "Judge Cooper and the Radical Left would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it into something that everyone could be proud of," as reported by Al Jazeera.

US Representative Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio who filed the lawsuit challenging the name change, described the ruling as a win for the Kennedy Center and the performing arts, according to Deutsche Welle.

Aftermath

Following the ruling, the Kennedy Center's general counsel issued a memo instructing staff to change email signatures, letterhead, and other documents to reflect the name "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts" or "Kennedy Center," as reported by the Jerusalem Post. The center's website also dropped Trump's name.

The board, however, has sought to challenge the order. The Guardian reported that the board voted to file a formal stay, which was expected to be submitted on Friday. Meanwhile, South China Morning Post reported that Judge Cooper has asked the board to explain why a tarpaulin and scaffolding continue to cover the facade where Trump's name was removed, giving trustees until the end of July to respond.