Overview
- The Kennedy Center complied with U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper’s order and removed President Donald Trump’s name from its façade and official materials, with the executive director reporting the work completed.
- Judge Cooper denied a request to pause his order and also temporarily blocked the planned two-year closure for renovations that Trump had announced, keeping both actions tied up in court.
- The Kennedy Center and the U.S. Department of Justice filed an appeal challenging Cooper’s ruling and the removal order, so the legal fight over naming authority and the center’s future continues.
- Removal work on the building played out as a public spectacle on Saturday with weather delays, a large tarp and crowds watching and livestreaming the operation.
- The dispute has already produced operational and reputational effects, including cancelled performances, leadership turnover and a reported $17 million damages claim by the Washington Opera, with trustees arguing the removal could harm fundraising and operations as the appeals proceed.