Federal judge orders Trump’s name stripped from Kennedy Center

A federal judge on Friday ordered the Kennedy Center to remove President Donald Trump's name from the institution, ruling that Congress alone has the authority to rename the nation's official memorial to President John F. Kennedy.In a scathing 94-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper rejected the Kennedy Center board's decision to rebrand the institution as the "Trump Kennedy Center," concluding that trustees lacked the power to alter a name established by federal law more than six decades ago."The Kennedy Center's organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy," Cooper wrote. "Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it."The ruling is a significant setback for Trump's effort to remake one of the nation's most prominent cultural institutions after installing allies on its governing board and assuming a direct role in its leadership.Related: Drag group slams Donald Trump for takeover of Kennedy Center board and vowing to end drag showsThe dispute traces back to Trump's unprecedented takeover of the Kennedy Center in February 2025. After criticizing the institution for hosting drag performances and what he called "anti-American propaganda," Trump removed board members, named himself chairman, and installed longtime ally Richard Grenell as the center's interim executive director. Trump promised a new "golden age" for American arts and culture under his leadership.Grenell, a former ambassador to Germany and one of the highest-profile gay Republicans in the country, quickly became the public face of the administration's overhaul. His tenure became one of the most politically contentious periods in the center's history, marked by artist boycotts, canceled performances, criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates, and declining ticket sales. Lin-Manuel Miranda canceled a planned production of the Tony-winning musical Hamilton, actor Issa Rae withdrew a sold-out appearance, and several WorldPride ev