Federal Appeals Court Denies Trump’s Bid to Retain Name on Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., had its facade signage covered by a tarp and scaffolding on June 28. This action followed a federal appeals court decision on Wednesday, which denied President Trump’s request to keep his name on the center.

Judges from the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit confirmed that Trump’s name had been removed from the Kennedy Center. As explained in a court filing, the current executive director has overseen this change. Trump’s argument that the center would suffer “irreparable injury” without his name was rejected by the judges.

The removal of Trump’s name began on June 13. His legal representatives asserted that the change would waste time and resources already spent on naming the center. However, the judges, including Patricia Millett, Robert Wilkins, and Gregory Katsas, noted that since the name had been removed, stopping the process would not prevent any claimed harms.

Trump suggested the absence of his name might jeopardize future fundraising efforts, potentially affecting the Kennedy Center’s finances. The appeals judges countered, stating that the claim lacked factual evidence. They pointed to the baseless declarations made by the Kennedy Center’s Executive Director, Matt Floca, without specific supporting details.

This legal dispute is part of broader litigation initiated by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, against Trump and the Kennedy Center’s board. Judge Christopher R. Cooper, overseeing this case, has required a status report on the center’s operations and programming by the month’s end.

Currently, the Kennedy Center’s schedule includes a modest selection of programs. These consist of free outdoor movie screenings, children’s workshops, and live performances on its Millennium Stage. Historically, the Kennedy Center was known for hosting over 2,000 arts and education events annually, with daily free performances on the Millennium Stage.