Trump’s Name Removed from Kennedy Center Facade

New images of the Kennedy Center reveal the removal of President Donald Trump’s name from its facade. This follows a court decision and the installation of a tarp obscuring public view of the removal.

Scaffolding and a tarp were set up on June 13, one day past the deadline set by a federal judge to take down Trump’s name from the well-known performing arts center. These barriers prevent the public from seeing the change.

Mallory Miller, a former Kennedy Center worker and co-founder of the activist group Hands Off the Arts, shared the photos. She suspects the tarp’s presence is a deliberate effort to protect Trump’s image. “The Trump administration doesn’t want the building to be visible without Trump’s name while they pursue appeals,” Miller stated.

The Kennedy Center has not responded to inquiries about why the tarp remains, ten days after the removal. The Washington Post originally reported on the photos.

In 1964, Congress named the building the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. President Kennedy, who was assassinated in November 1963, was honored posthumously, with President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the bill into law two months later.

In December, the building displayed new signage, “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts,” after Trump-appointed board members voted for the addition.

Last month, a federal judge ruled Trump’s name must be removed, as the board did not hold the authority to independently change the building’s name. “Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it,” Judge Christopher Cooper stated on May 29.

The presence of the tarp has prompted questions about its purpose, fueling speculation that it aims to conceal the removal of Trump’s name from public view.

According to a Kennedy Center official, all online and physical references to Trump have been eliminated as of June 13.

Miller, who previously worked in artistic programming at the Kennedy Center, highlighted the importance of public intervention. “Trump tried to take over this cultural landmark,” she remarked. “We’re resisting and asserting he cannot do so.”