Kennedy Center Delays Restoring Trump's Name

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the U.S. says it will not attempt to restore President Donald Trump's name to the historic building in the near future, according to court documents filed Tuesday.

In a joint filing, the center's board said it is “committed” to taking no action before September 8 while legal arguments continue. However, critics warn the timeline is just a pretext for the board to continue altering the cultural hub in downtown Washington, D.C.

“Let's be clear: This entire situation is of the defendants' own making,” the plaintiffs in the lawsuit wrote, referring to the Trump-appointed board members.

The changes at the Kennedy Center under Trump have been the subject of a protracted legal battle. Since the start of his second term in 2025, the largely Trump-appointed board has sought to increase the president's influence over the arts venue, including appointing him as honorary chairman.

In December, the board voted to affix Trump's name to the building, which many viewed as a violation of the act of Congress that designates the center as a living memorial to the late President John F. Kennedy. Amid controversy, Trump announced in February that he would close the building for two years for renovations.

These decisions led to a lawsuit, with Joyce Beatty, a Democratic lawmaker on the board, accusing the leadership of violating the law governing the center. In May, a federal judge ordered Trump's name removed from the building's facade, ruling that only Congress has the authority to change the name.

But last week, the board again attempted to put the president's name on the building, voting 20-3 to inscribe the phrase “restored and renovated by President Donald J. Trump” beneath the existing sign, as well as naming the plaza in front of it after him.

In Tuesday's filing, Beatty's lawyers wrote that some board members “appear intent on defying the court's ruling” from May. “There is every reason to believe that the defendants will attempt to implement part or all of this unlawful resolution as soon as they have an opportunity after September 8,” the lawyers wrote, calling it a “shocking act of defiance.”

Lawyers for the Trump administration said they disagreed with these arguments and asserted that “the record will show the board's prudence.”

Since the work to remove Trump's name began, a tarp and scaffolding have obscured the area where the letters once were. The Kennedy Center has not committed to removing the tarp, saying it is necessary for “water inspection and structural repair of the overhanging roof.” Beatty's lawyers called this reason an admission that the building's marble had been damaged, possibly during the addition and removal of the name. They warned that further engraving could cause additional damage.

Beatty's lawsuit is part of a series of legal issues surrounding the historic arts center since Trump returned to the White House. Last week, a judge awarded jazz artist Chuck Redd more than $250,000 to cover legal costs after the center sued him for canceling a performance related to the renaming. The lawsuit was dismissed in June.