A federal judge denied the Kennedy Center board’s request to pause an order requiring Donald Trump’s name to be removed from the building and related materials, keeping a Friday compliance deadline in place after the center had already begun complying.
A federal judge has denied the Kennedy Center board’s bid to pause an order requiring Donald Trump’s name to be removed from the building and related materials, keeping a Friday compliance deadline in place.
The decision means the center must continue moving ahead with changes ordered by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who ruled on May 29 that Trump’s name had been added illegally and should come off signage and official materials.
According to AP, the Kennedy Center had already started complying by removing Trump’s name from its website and correspondence before the court acted on the pause request.
Court timeline
The latest ruling comes after the board asked the court to suspend the removal order before the deadline this week. The judge declined, leaving the original Friday timeline intact.
That keeps the dispute centered on whether the name changes must be completed immediately while any appeal plays out.
What happens next
Axios reported that the Kennedy Center plans to appeal the order, which could extend the fight over the building’s branding and the authority to name parts of the federally created arts institution.
The case began with a lawsuit filed by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, and has become a broader legal and political clash over control of the Kennedy Center under a Trump-appointed board.
The immediate question now is whether the center completes all required changes by Friday and whether any further emergency relief is sought.
Revision note
Updated with the judge’s denial and appeal context.