The Kennedy Center’s board voted Thursday to put President Donald Trump’s name back on the building and close the performing arts complex for two years, renewing two moves a federal judge previously blocked and setting up another legal confrontation.
Trump Name Vote Revives Court Fight
As per a report by the Associated Press, the board approved facade language reading "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump" and renamed the grounds "the President Donald J. Trump Plaza," Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex officio trustee, said.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in May that the board could not unilaterally rename the congressionally designated memorial. "The Kennedy Center’s organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy," Cooper wrote. Workers removed Trump’s name in June after an appeals court refused to pause the order.
Cooper also blocked an earlier two-year closure, calling the prior board vote "ill-informed and seemingly preordained." Thursday’s re-vote followed management’s presentation of three renovation options, from phased work to a full shutdown. The board again chose two years, though some programming could continue at the outdoor Reach complex.
Two-Year Closure Plan Draws Democratic Backlash
"This latest development is a transparent effort to circumvent the Court’s ruling," Beatty said. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), another ex officio trustee, called the meeting "nothing more than a rubber stamp."
Benzinga reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Trump announced the shutdown plan in February, calling the venue "tired, broken, and dilapidated." Center officials have pointed to severe water damage, corroded steel and decades-old chillers to justify comprehensive renovations.
Legal Costs Mount Amid Broader Overhaul
The dispute has also produced financial fallout. The Kennedy Center argued last month that removing Trump’s name could cost "hundreds of millions" in fundraising, while a Washington judge this week ordered it to pay more than $250,000 in legal fees to jazz musician Chuck Redd after losing a lawsuit over his canceled performance.
The White House defended Thursday’s action, saying Trump’s leadership would help make the Kennedy Center "the finest cultural institution anywhere in the world."
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