Scaffolding and a large tarp obscured the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on Monday, June 15, 2026 — one day after President Trump’s name was removed from the building following a federal court ruling.
What Happened
Workers removed Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center in the early hours of Saturday, June 14, after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld a lower court’s deadline for the removal the previous Friday evening. The Kennedy Center said the scaffolding and tarp visible afterward are part of ongoing marble and soffit panel maintenance, though no completion timeline has been offered.
The legal battle traces back to a lawsuit filed in late December 2025 by Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), one of seven House members who serve on the center’s board of trustees. Beatty amended her suit in February 2026 to challenge a planned two-year closure that Trump announced that same month.
U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper ruled on May 29, ordering the removal of Trump’s name from the building and directing that Trump references be stripped from the center’s website and online branding as well. Trump’s legal team appealed, but the D.C. Circuit upheld Cooper’s decision on June 13.
By the Numbers
- May 29, 2026: District court ruling ordering name removal
- June 13, 2026: Appeals court upholds district court’s order
- June 14, 2026: Trump’s name removed in early morning hours
- 7: Number of House members serving on the Kennedy Center’s board
- December 2025: Beatty’s original lawsuit filed; Trump hosted the Kennedy Center Honors that same month
Background
Trump appointed a new board of trustees at the Kennedy Center early in 2025, and the board subsequently named him as its chair. He personally hosted the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony in December 2025. In February 2026, Trump announced plans for a two-year closure of the venue, a move that prompted Beatty to expand her legal challenge.
Beatty argued that Congress alone holds the authority to alter the name of the Kennedy Center, a position the courts ultimately upheld. “The court was clear in its order because the statute is clear: only Congress can change the name of the Kennedy Center,” she said following the ruling.
She also expressed hope that the outcome would prompt broader institutional change, saying her goal is for the board to restore the center’s programming and respect the legal framework governing the institution.
Zoom Out
The dispute is part of a broader pattern of legal friction between the Trump administration and federal courts over executive actions at government-affiliated institutions. Courts have repeatedly weighed in on the scope of presidential authority over agencies, boards, and named federal properties — with congressional statutes frequently serving as the boundary line. The Kennedy Center case adds to that body of rulings affirming limits on unilateral executive action.
The ongoing Louisiana legislative session concluded recently with its own institutional battles over funding priorities, reflecting a national trend of disputes between executive priorities and established legal structures at both the state and federal levels.
What’s Next
The Kennedy Center has not provided a schedule for when maintenance work will conclude and the facade will be uncovered. It remains unclear whether the Trump administration will pursue further legal options or comply fully with the court’s directive regarding online branding. The center’s planned two-year closure remains a separate, ongoing legal question stemming from Beatty’s amended lawsuit.
With the appeals court having spoken and no immediate indication of a Supreme Court petition, attention is likely to shift to whether the board — appointed largely by Trump — moves to reinstate the closure plan or alter the center’s operations in other ways.