Kennedy Center official tells judge Trump’s name has been removed from building and website
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Construction workers began removing President Donald Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center’s facade on Saturday, complying with a federal judge’s order to remove all references to Trump by noon.
- The name had been added to the iconic venue’s signage in December by a board selected by Trump, but a judge ruled last month that only Congress has the authority to rename the center.
- The Kennedy Center unsuccessfully sought to block the removal, arguing that taking Trump’s name off would require returning hundreds of millions of dollars in donations tied to the name, a claim the court dismissed.
- Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, who filed the lawsuit, called the removal a victory for the rule of law and a step toward returning the center to the American people.
- The judge also blocked a planned two-year closure for renovations proposed by Trump’s board, criticizing the decision as ill-informed and predetermined.