Trump's Name Was Ordered to Be Removed From the Kennedy Center By a Judge

For decades, even before he became president, Donald Trump had a reputation for enjoying putting his name on buildings, even if he didn't really have anything to do with building them.

That instinct carried over into his presidency, which is why his name was awkwardly added to the Kennedy Center as part of a broader takeover of the D.C. performing arts institution.

Now, though, a judge has ordered that Trump's name must come off the building, leading some to wonder whether his name has been removed. Here's what we know.

Trump's name has not been removed from the building yet, even though a judge ruled in late May that his name had to come off the building.

The name of the building currently reads "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts," which, in addition to being strange, is also grammatically incorrect.

In an interview on May 31, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said he wasn't sure whether Trump would appeal the decision.

In his opinion, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper wrote that the 1964 statute that created the Kennedy Center was "crystal clear" about what the building should be called.

“Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it,” he wrote. President Trump has often worked hard to fight court orders he disagreed with, though, so that opinion might not be the end of this story.

If the judge's order stands, then the Kennedy Center will keep its name unless Congress decides to change it.

In December 2025, the board of the center, which had been filled with Trump appointees, voted to change the name to the “Trump Kennedy Center," for no real reason other than that the president wanted it that way.

After many of the performers at the center canceled, Trump then announced that it would be closed for two years for renovations, which were also approved by the board.

Following the news that the judge had overridden the renaming, President Trump lashed out on Truth Social, saying that 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.

Burgum added that the renovations launched by Trump were necessary.

"The structural integrity of the building, the deterioration issues with the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, the HVAC systems, needed massive repairs," he explained. In his opinion, Cooper also said that the board needs sufficient information to make an "independent decision" about whether the center should stay open.

Trump's name remains on the building for now, at least, although it's unclear whether that renaming will outlast Trump's term, especially given that a judge has now ruled that only Congress can change the name for good.