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Published 12:11 14 Jun 2026 GMT
President Donald Trump's name has officially been removed from the Kennedy Center after a judge ruled that adding it violated federal law.
Workers began taking down the signage early Saturday (June 13) morning after the center was ordered to comply with a court ruling.
A large tarp covered the building while crews worked overnight to remove the letters.
The move follows a legal battle over the decision to rename the famous Washington, DC arts venue.
The 80-year-old's allies had previously added his name to the building, website, and promotional materials after he took control of the center's board and installed loyalists during his second term.
However, US District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the change broke a 1964 law requiring the institution to remain named after former President John F. Kennedy.
"Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it," Cooper wrote.
An appeals court later rejected a last-minute effort to delay the ruling, forcing the center to move ahead with removing the signage while the wider court battle continues.
A small crowd gathered outside the Kennedy Center to watch the president's name come down.
"I just wanted to see (Trump's) name gone," patron JoAnn Jones told CNN. "When a person wants to put their name on a building that you had nothing to do with, you did no work, you just, you don't deserve it."
Jones said she felt "disgust" when Trump's name was first added to the building.
Former John F. Kennedy Presidential Library employee Jon Knepp said the ruling sends a message to "get rid of the nonsense of just slapping your name on stuff that doesn't belong to you."
A video shared online shows protesters chanting "Take it down" as crews prepared to remove the signage.
Ohio Representative Joyce Beatty, who helped lead the legal challenge, celebrated the decision.
"We know we're on the right side of justice and the law," Beatty said. "No matter what happens, we're going to continue to fight for the Kennedy family."
After learning the name had been removed, Beatty posted a video of herself dancing on social media with the caption: "POV: When you protect the Kennedy Center."
Despite the ruling, Trump's supporters have vowed to continue challenging the decision.
Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center's vice president of public relations, previously said the board remained committed to restoring the name change.
"We remain committed to pursuing every lawful avenue to ensure the Trump Kennedy Center is restored as a national cultural landmark for all Americans to enjoy," she said.
Daravi added that the center was "confident" an appeals court would "uphold the Board's will to recognize President Trump's historic contributions to our nation's cultural center".
The controversy extends beyond the name itself as Cooper's ruling also temporarily blocked plans by the Trump-appointed board to shut down the center for two years as part of a proposed renovation project.
Trump had praised the renaming during a cabinet meeting earlier this year. "We're fixing up what was the Kennedy Centre. I was honoured when the board changed the name a little bit," he said. "Actually, it shows that the Republicans and the Democrats, they worked together. It's really something. We work together."
The president had also previously described the center as "rusted, rotted, and rat and bug infested."
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the renovation proposal, saying: "The structural integrity of the building, the deterioration issues with the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, the HVAC systems, needed massive repairs."
"And President Trump was willing to get out, raise private funds, dedicate his time as a master builder to restore this building. And now, a judge says 'No'."
Meanwhile, Kennedy Center officials recently approved a resolution honoring Trump's "profound dedication" to the institution and establishing a "Trump Kennedy Center Fund" designed to raise additional private donations alongside the $257 million allocated through Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill."
Whether Trump will personally contribute to the fund remains unclear.
Published 15:50 03 Jun 2026 GMT
A federal judge has ordered that Donald Trump's name be removed from the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts within two weeks, after ruling that the renaming violated federal law.
House Republicans first proposed renaming the landmark last July, a move that was backed by the 79-year-old after he appointed himself chairman of the center and removed several existing board members.
Despite being heavily slammed by opponents, Trump's administration quietly added his name to the building's exterior, official website, and promotional materials.
The venue's title was changed to the "Trump Kennedy Center," while new lettering was added to the facade to read: "The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts."
However, US District Court Judge Christopher Cooper ruled on Friday (May 29) that the Trump-appointed board violated the law by making the change without congressional approval.
In Cooper's opinion, he wrote that the 1964 statute establishing the center made it "crystal clear" that the institution was to be named solely after President John F. Kennedy.
"Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it," the judge wrote.
Cooper said the board broke a 1964 law that says the center must remain named after the former president, who was assassinated in 1963.
The ruling orders Trump's board to "remove all physical signage on the Kennedy Centre building and grounds, including the front portico, that purports to rename the Kennedy Centre after President Trump or any other individual besides President Kennedy" within 14 days.
That includes, but is not "limited to the signage that currently reads 'The Donald J. Trump And' on the front of the Centre's main building," the judge added.
The renaming effort had already sparked controversy among board members.
Democratic board member and Ohio Representative Joyce Beatty claimed she was prevented from voting against the proposal despite White House officials later insisting the board had unanimously approved the change.
"Clearly, the Congress has a say in this. This centre, the Kennedy Centre, was created by Congress. I think it's important for us to know that this is just another attempt to evade the law and not let the people have a say," Beatty said, per PEOPLE.
Her account was later supported by JFK's grandson, Jack Schlossberg, who alleged that "microphones were muted" during the meeting and that the vote was "NOT unanimous."
Following Cooper's ruling, Beatty celebrated the decision: "Today’s ruling rightly affirms that this administration’s efforts to rename and close the Centre have no basis in law," she told the outlet.
"The Kennedy Centre is an institution that belongs to the American people, not to Donald Trump."
"He has desecrated this sacred memorial for his own vanity."
The ruling also temporarily prevents the Trump-appointed board from shutting down the Kennedy Center for two years as part of a renovation project.
The president first announced the proposal during a cabinet meeting in March. "We're fixing up what was the Kennedy Centre. I was honoured when the board changed the name a little bit," he said.
"Actually, it shows that the Republicans and the Democrats, they worked together. It's really something. We work together," he added.
Trump had previously described the center, which opened in 1971, as "rusted, rotted, and rat and bug infested," cited by The Guardian.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the renovation plans, arguing that extensive repairs were needed.
"The structural integrity of the building, the deterioration issues with the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, the HVAC systems, needed massive repairs," Burgum said. "And President Trump was willing to get out, raise private funds, dedicate his time as a master builder to restore this building. And now, a judge says 'No'."
However, Cooper described the board's decision to close the venue as "ill-informed and seemingly preordained".
Roma Daravi, the center's vice president of public relations, said the board intends to fight the ruling.
"We remain committed to pursuing every lawful avenue to ensure the Trump Kennedy Center is restored as a national cultural landmark for all Americans to enjoy," she said, per BBC News.
Daravi added that the institution was "confident" an appeals court would "uphold the Board's will to recognise President Trump's historic contributions to our nation's cultural center".
Meanwhile, Burgum did not confirm whether the president's name would actually be removed before the deadline expires.
"I'm not sure if that's going to be appealed or not, but I think, you know, there's controversy on both sides of this about that ruling," he said.
Trump reacted angrily to the decision, posting lengthy messages on Truth Social attacking Judge Cooper and claiming it was impossible "for [him] to be treated fairly".
"Judge Cooper and the Radical Left would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it into something that everyone could be proud of," he wrote.
The president later announced that he had "canceled my involvement with the failing and unsafe to be in Kennedy Center, because a Highly Conflicted, Crooked Federal Judge."
Published 12:44 23 Dec 2025 GMT
Fury erupted after Donald Trump officially got his name added to the iconic John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - and at least one Kennedy has made a bold vow to do something about it.
The world-famous venue in Washington, D.C., has now been renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, after the board reportedly voted unanimously on December 18 to go through with the change.
The decision came with glowing praise from inside the Trump camp.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to social media to say the renaming was in honor of “the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building.”
She added: “Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation.
“Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future!
"The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur.”
But not everyone’s celebrating - least of all the Kennedy family themselves.
Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and niece of John F. Kennedy, slammed the move on X after sharing a photo of the building’s new signage, which reads: “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
Kerry, who is also president of the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, didn’t hold back on how she really felt about the controversial decision.
She wrote: “Three years and one month from today, I’m going to grab a pickaxe and pull those letters off that building, but I’m going to need help holding the ladder. Are you in? Applying for my carpenter’s card today, so it’ll be a union job!!”
In a separate post, Kerry went even further - accusing Trump and his administration of actively working against the artistic values the center was created to uphold.
“President Trump and his administration have spent the past year repressing free expression, targeting artists, journalists, and comedians, and erasing the history of Americans whose contributions made our nation better and more just,” she wrote.
She also drew a direct contrast between the values of the two presidents now sharing the building’s name: “President Kennedy proudly stood for justice, peace, equality, dignity, diversity, and compassion for those who suffer.
"President Trump stands in opposition to these values, and his name should not be placed alongside President Kennedy’s.”
Kerry’s brother, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., currently serves as Trump’s health secretary.
Published 16:53 27 Jan 2021 GMT
Last week, the board of the Trump Plaza condominium voted unanimously to remove Trump's name from the 32-story, twin-tower complex in West Palm Beach, the Palm Beach Post reports.
Following the deadly Capitol riot earlier this month, many of those who live in the South Florida condo complex have been increasingly eager to change the official name of their home.
According to the Seattle Times, residents will be expected to vote in a new name, with submissions due in late February.
The publication also states that the complex is just miles away from the Mar-a-Lago private club on Palm Beach, where Trump currently lives. Units at Trump Plaza range from about $1 million to more than $4 million.
“The Trump brand is damaged, so rebranding the complex is a wise move,” Burt Minkoff, a Palm Beach real estate agent with Douglas Elliman Real Estate, said per the Seattle Times.
Back in 2017, Trump Plaza signs on the roofs were removed during the process of renovation and last February residents voted not to replace them.
Furthermore, the Trump signs were removed at street level last summer following protests against police violence after the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.
According to the Seattle Times, some real estate agents have started pointing out on listings that the condo is no longer owned by the former president - and hasn't been since 1991.
Minkoff explains that the Trump name had been problematic for some time, however, the storming of on the Capitol made it “a real lightning rod.”
Trump has been accused of inciting the siege by continuing to repeat his unfounded claims of voter fraud.
Per CNN, the pro-Trump protestors attempted to obstruct the ceremonial counting of the electoral college votes to affirm Joe Biden's victory in the US 2020 Presidential Election.
The outlet also states that the breach of the Capitol delayed the process of affirming Biden's impending presidency as the House and Senate were forced to find shelter when the riots broke out.
As reported by Reuters, Trump urged his supporters to attend the rally in DC, the day the US House of Representatives and Senate were set to affirm Joe Biden's election win. He then told them to walk to the Capitol "to fight."
Four civilians and one Capitol police officer died amid the chaos, per Reuters.
Published 13:43 31 Dec 2025 GMT
US President Donald Trump took aim at the Kennedy family on Tuesday evening as he shared a string of mocking posts criticizing the family just hours after they confirmed the death of Tatiana Schlossberg.
Tatiana, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and granddaughter of the late President John F Kennedy, died after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, with her family announcing the news on social media.
“Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts," read the post, which was signed by "George, Edwin and Josephine Moran, Ed, Caroline, Jack, Rose and Rory." The announcement prompted an outpouring of support and tributes online.
Yet while the Kennedys were understandably grieving, Trump offered them no grace as he took to Truth Social to reel off several damning posts hitting out at the family. Many critics condemned the timing of the president’s comments given the personal loss the Kennedys were facing.
The president has been at odds with the Kennedy family for several weeks. Things escalated in recent days after Trump formally renamed the Kennedy Center, a historic performance venue in Washington, D.C., to the Trump-Kennedy Center.
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Originally, the centre had been named after the former president as a memorial to JFK following his assassination in Dallas, Texas, in 1963. "The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law," wrote Joe Kennedy III, the grandson of former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. "It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial, no matter what anyone says."
It seemed to be this row over names that the president was referencing on Tuesday when he reposted a number of damning remarks from his followers. One post read: "The Kennedy Family have LONG neglected the Kennedy Center, btw. They don’t raise money for it. They never show up. And the only Kennedy who has been there recently is a member of Trump’s cabinet." Another post stated: "The Trumps have always been supporters of the arts. The Kennedys are supporters of the Kennedys."
Although Trump didn’t specifically mention Tatiana in his onslaught of posts, many users found the timing to be in poor taste, given the tragedy the family were facing. An X account with the username @DisavowTrump20 referred to Trump’s posts about the Kennedy family as “despicable”.
In full, they wrote: “Just hours after Caroline Kennedy’s daughter, Tatiana Schlossberg, tragically died, Donald Trump has launched a series of social media attacks against her family. RETWEET if you stand with @CarolineKennedy against these despicable attacks! “
Despite the attack, the Kennedys have yet to respond to the remarks, with most of their social media posts on Tuesday simply paying tribute to their beloved family member. Caroline Kennedy’s cousin, Maria Shriver, wrote a long tribute to Tatiana that reflected on her love of life and the support of family.
"I return to this space today to pay tribute to my sweet, beloved Tatiana, who left this earth today. I return to this space to pay tribute and honor her loving and supportive family, who came together and did everything they possibly could do to help her. I return to this space heartbroken because Tatiana loved life. She loved her life, and she fought like hell to try to save it. I cannot make sense of this. I cannot make any sense of it at all. None. Zero," Shriver wrote. "My heart has always been with my cousin Caroline ever since we were little kids. My entire being is with her now. What a rock she has been."
She added: "Those of us left behind will make sure Eddie and Josie know what a beautiful, courageous spirit their mother was and will always be. She takes after her extraordinary mother, Caroline. May we all hold Tatiana’s family in our collective embrace not just today, but in the days ahead, and may each of you who read this know how lucky you are to be alive right now. Please pause and honor your life. It truly is such a gift."
Published 14:46 31 Dec 2025 GMT
US President Donald Trump took aim at the Kennedy family on Tuesday evening as he shared a string of mocking posts criticizing the family just hours after they confirmed the death of Tatiana Schlossberg.
Tatiana, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and granddaughter of the late President John F Kennedy, died after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, with her family announcing the news on social media.
“Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts," read the post, which was signed by "George, Edwin and Josephine Moran, Ed, Caroline, Jack, Rose and Rory."
The announcement prompted an outpouring of support and tributes online.
Yet while the Kennedys were understandably grieving, Trump offered them no grace as he took to Truth Social to reel off several damning posts hitting out at the family.
Many critics condemned the timing of the president’s comments given the personal loss the Kennedys were facing.
The president has been at odds with the Kennedy family for several weeks.
Things escalated in recent days after Trump formally renamed the Kennedy Center, a historic performance venue in Washington, D.C., to the Trump-Kennedy Center.
Originally, the centre had been named after the former president as a memorial to JFK following his assassination in Dallas, Texas, in 1963.
"The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law," wrote Joe Kennedy III, the grandson of former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
"It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial, no matter what anyone says."
It seemed to be this row over names that the president was referencing on Tuesday when he reposted a number of damning remarks from his followers.
One post read: "The Kennedy Family have LONG neglected the Kennedy Center, btw. They don’t raise money for it. They never show up. And the only Kennedy who has been there recently is a member of Trump’s cabinet."
Another post stated: "The Trumps have always been supporters of the arts. The Kennedys are supporters of the Kennedys."
Although Trump didn’t specifically mention Tatiana in his onslaught of posts, many users found the timing to be in poor taste, given the tragedy the family were facing.
An X account with the username @DisavowTrump20 referred to Trump’s posts about the Kennedy family as “despicable”.
In full, they wrote: “Just hours after Caroline Kennedy’s daughter, Tatiana Schlossberg, tragically died, Donald Trump has launched a series of social media attacks against her family. RETWEET if you stand with @CarolineKennedy against these despicable attacks!"
CNN anchor Jake Tapper also slammed Trump, describing the posts as a “stunning display of cruelty” and “social media garbage.”
Despite the attack, the Kennedys have yet to respond to the remarks, with most of their social media posts on Tuesday simply paying tribute to their beloved family member.
Caroline Kennedy’s cousin, Maria Shriver, wrote a long tribute to Tatiana that reflected on her love of life and the support of family.
"I return to this space today to pay tribute to my sweet, beloved Tatiana, who left this earth today.
"I return to this space to pay tribute and honor her loving and supportive family, who came together and did everything they possibly could do to help her.
"I return to this space heartbroken because Tatiana loved life. She loved her life, and she fought like hell to try to save it. I cannot make sense of this. I cannot make any sense of it at all. None. Zero," Shriver wrote.
"My heart has always been with my cousin Caroline ever since we were little kids. My entire being is with her now. What a rock she has been."
She added: "Those of us left behind will make sure Eddie and Josie know what a beautiful, courageous spirit their mother was and will always be.
"She takes after her extraordinary mother, Caroline. May we all hold Tatiana’s family in our collective embrace not just today, but in the days ahead, and may each of you who read this know how lucky you are to be alive right now.
"Please pause and honor your life. It truly is such a gift."
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