A US federal judge has ruled that the decision to change the name of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to the "Trump-Kennedy Center" is invalid, and the administration of President Donald Trump has ordered the removal of the new name from the facades and official materials within a period not exceeding 14 days.
In his ruling, Judge Christopher Cooper of the Federal Court in Washington asserted that the center's board had exceeded the limits of its legal authority, stressing in a 94-page decision that only Congress has the power to change the center's name under the 1964 Founding Act, which requires the edifice to remain dedicated exclusively to the memory of the late President John F. Kennedy.
The ruling included rescinding the Trump administration's plan to close the center for two years starting in July for extensive renovations, arguing that the decision was not based on a clear legal basis.
Background of the lawsuit and reactions
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, a member of the center's board of directors, in which she called the name change a "flagrant violation of the rule of law."
Trump responded via Truth Social, announcing his intention to transfer the center's entire management to Congress, saying he did not want to oversee an institution "where he does not have complete freedom" to make physical and technical improvements, and called preventing the temporary closure a "risk to public safety" amid the need for maintenance.
On the other hand, the center's management and the US Department of Justice confirmed their confidence in the legal position, announcing the trend towards appealing the ruling in an effort to confirm the new name.
Trump Names Federal Installations and Programs
Trump's second term saw an unprecedented wave of renaming of federal facilities, institutions and programs, in a move that has been described as the largest of its kind in the history of modern American administrations.
The campaign began with the renaming of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in December 2025 as the Donald J. Trump Institute for Peace, following the restructuring of its board.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law renaming Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport, a decision that faces legal challenges from pilots over its impact on air safety, and the Pentagon announced the launch of a new class of warships called Trump-class battleships, and huge banners with Trump's name appeared on the facades of three federal buildings in Washington.
The administration has launched a new government platform called TrumpRx to search for discounted drug prices outside of the health insurance system, and the Department of Homeland Security has introduced the "Trump Gold Card" program, which grants fast pathways to residency and citizenship to investors in exchange for a donation to the U.S. Treasury.
The Treasury Department also launched the "Trump Accounts for Children" initiative, which provides $1,000 in grants to those born during his presidency, and even the 2026 national park permits carried an official portrait of the president instead of traditional landscapes.
The Trump administration has lobbied for Washington Dulles International Airport and New York Penn Station to be renamed, but the proposals have faced strong legislative opposition that has prevented them from passing.