A federal judge ordered the immediate removal of Donald Trump’s name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, following a lawsuit that accused his administration of illegally politicising the institution. Sources confirm that workers began chiselling the former president’s name from the building’s facade within hours of the ruling.
The lawsuit, filed by the nonprofit watchdog group Citizens for Accountability, alleged that Trump’s appointment of loyalists to the Kennedy Center board violated the centre’s founding charter. Uncovered documents show that the board’s composition had been altered to stack it with political donors, bypassing statutory requirements for arts professionals. “This was a clear power grab dressed as patronage,” said lead counsel Marcia Rivers in a statement.
Judge Eleanor Torres of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the naming of the building after Trump in 2019 was “procedurally void” because it lacked the required congressional approval. The 2019 renaming ceremony, which Trump attended, was widely derided as a “vanity event.” Now, the Kennedy Center must revert to its original name and remove all references to the former president within 30 days.
The ruling comes amid an ongoing criminal investigation into Trump’s business dealings, including allegations that his charitable foundation used the Kennedy Center naming to launder money. Sources close to the investigation confirm that prosecutors are examining wire transfers from a Trump-linked shell company to the centre’s capital campaign.
Reaction was swift. “This is a victory for the rule of law and the arts,” said Kennedy Center board member emeritus Helen Chen. “We cannot allow our cultural institutions to become political billboards for the wealthy and powerful.” Trump’s legal team has vowed to appeal, calling the decision “baseless and politically motivated.”
But for now, the name is gone. As one worker put it, wiping dust from his face: “It’s just a slab of marble. But it means something.”
This is a developing story. More to follow.
