Trump's Name Removed from Kennedy Center Following Court Ruling

Workers removed Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., early on June 13, 2026, following a federal judge's ruling that the venue could not be renamed without Congressional approval. The removal began at approximately 1:20 AM local time, shortly after the Department of Justice announced it would miss a court-ordered deadline to take Trump's name off the building due to safety concerns related to thunderstorms. The Kennedy Center's board had voted in December to rename it in honor of Trump, but the judge ruled that only Congress has the authority to change the name. The removal operation took about 30 minutes, and protesters gathered outside the venue during the process. The Kennedy Center had previously removed Trump's name from its website earlier that week. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper had ordered the name removal by June 10, stating that the name change was illegal. Trump's administration had also sought to close the center for renovations, which has been temporarily blocked by the judge. The Kennedy Center, which opened in 1971 as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy, has faced backlash from artists and the public since the name change.