Washington, DC – A US federal judge has ordered the removal of President Donald Trump name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The judge also halted a two-year closure of the center that the administration had planned as part of a broader renovation and expansion project.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by Democratic Representative Joyce Beattie,
who challenged the legality of the center’s board of trustees’ decisions regarding the name change and its temporary closure.
The court rejects changing the center’s name
Judge Christopher Cooper affirmed in his ruling that the US Congress had named the center after the late President John F. Kennedy.
Therefore, changing the name could only be done through a similar legislative act.
The judge ordered the center’s management to remove Donald Trump name from the building, its signage, and trademarks within two weeks.
He concluded that the renaming efforts lacked sufficient legal basis.
The two-year shutdown plan was halted
The court also ordered a two-year stay of the center’s closure,
scheduled to begin next July.
The administration had deemed this closure necessary for maintenance and development work.
The ruling indicated that implementing the closure decision could cause irreparable damage.
However, the court allowed for a future review of the matter following an independent assessment of the institution’s needs.
Political division and mixed reactions
Representative Joyce Beattie welcomed the ruling, emphasizing that the Kennedy Center is
a national institution owned by the American people and should not be used for political or personal gain.
In response, the center administration announced its intention to appeal the ruling.
They stressed that the renaming was a gesture of appreciation for what they described
as the financial support Trump had provided to the center and its future projects.
For his part, Donald Trump strongly criticized the court decision and threatened to withdraw
from managing the center’s development project if the court restrictions on his plans continued.
Observers expect the legal battle to continue in the coming period.
