Judge Orders Trump’s Name Removed From Kennedy Center, Blocks Planned Closure

A federal judge has ordered Donald Trump’s name removed from the Kennedy Center and blocked a planned closure that was supposed to allow for major renovations, a ruling that immediately shifted the dispute from symbolism to control over the institution’s operations.

The decision, issued May 29, said the board lacked authority to rename the venue for Trump without Congress. It also halted the planned two-year closure for renovations, at least for now.

The ruling is the latest turn in a fight that has become both legal and political. What had been presented as a renovation plan is now tangled up with questions about who controls the building, what changes can be made, and whether the center can move forward on the schedule it had set.

Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi said the institution would review the ruling and was confident on appeal. Trump also attacked the decision publicly after it was announced.

The immediate next questions are whether the administration will appeal right away, whether the Kennedy Center will comply with the removal order within the deadline, and whether the closure remains blocked while any appeal proceeds.