Judge upholds order to remove Trump's name from Kennedy Center

A federal judge has kept in place an order requiring Donald Trump's name to be removed from the Kennedy Center building and official materials, denying a last-minute request from the center to pause the ruling.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper had already found that the name was added illegally and that only Congress can authorize a renaming of the federally created institution. His latest decision leaves a Friday deadline intact for removing references to Trump from the facade, signage and other materials.

The dispute began after the Kennedy Center board, under Trump influence, moved to add Trump's name to the venue. Rep. Joyce Beatty filed the lawsuit challenging that decision, setting up a case that has become a broader fight over who controls the identity of the arts institution.

AP reported that scaffolding appeared around the section bearing Trump's name after the ruling. The center has also already updated its website and communications to restore the original name, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Legal question

Cooper's earlier ruling centered on authority: he said the name change was not lawful and that Congress, not the board, holds the power to rename the center.

The Kennedy Center board has said it plans to appeal, a move that could prolong the dispute. For now, however, the court's order remains in force.

What happens next

The immediate question is whether the center meets the Friday deadline or seeks further court relief. The court could also issue a fuller written explanation of the denial, which would clarify the judge's reasoning in more detail.

The case remains part of a wider controversy over leadership and branding at the Kennedy Center, and the legal fight over Trump's name is not over yet.