A US judge on Friday ruled that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington had been unlawfully renamed after President Donald Trump and ordered that his name be removed.
Judge Christopher Cooper said the board had exceeded its legal authority by unilaterally renaming the landmark institution.
“The Court has concluded that the Board overstepped its statutory bounds by unilaterally renaming the Kennedy Center after President Trump,” Cooper ruled.
Following the decision, Trump said he would step back from involvement with the Washington arts venue, which he had taken control of at the start of his second term last year by appointing himself as chairman.
The Kennedy Center, located in the heart of the US capital, was originally named in honour of slain President John F Kennedy. In December last year, its governing board — stacked with Trump allies — voted to rename it the “Trump Kennedy Center”.
Soon after, Trump’s name appeared on the building’s facade in large golden letters above Kennedy’s name.
The judge said only the US Congress holds the authority to change the institution’s name and ordered the administration to remove Trump’s name within 14 days from the building and all related materials.
“Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it,” the ruling stated.
Cooper also issued a temporary order blocking Trump’s plan to shut the Kennedy Center for two years for renovations, which was scheduled to begin in July.
Reacting strongly, Trump criticised the judge and said he was distancing himself from what he described as a “dying” institution.
He wrote on his Truth Social platform that he would work with Congress to return the institution to its oversight, adding that he had no interest in continuing what he called a “hopeless journey into ‘NEVER NEVER LAND’”.
The comments came as international attention focused on a possible announcement related to an Iran peace deal.
Since returning to office for a second term in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly placed his name and image in public institutions, marking a sharp departure from long-standing US political tradition.
The disbanded US Institute of Peace has been renamed after him, while large banners featuring his image now appear outside the Department of Justice and Department of Agriculture.
His administration has also proposed placing his portrait on a $250 bill to mark the country’s 250th independence anniversary.
In another major break from tradition, Trump ordered the demolition of the White House East Wing with limited public notice, clearing space for a planned large ballroom.
