Kennedy Center Removes Trump's Name from Website

The Kennedy Center removed President Donald Trump’s name from its website, although it has not yet removed it from the facade of its grand performance hall in Washington. A U.S. judge issued a ruling on May 29 ordering that the renaming of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to include Trump’s name was illegal, and directed its board of trustees to remove within two weeks any reference “to President Trump or any person other than President Kennedy” from the building itself, the center’s website, or any other signage, and to revert to the previous name. Shortly after the ruling, Trump announced he would step down from his oversight role at the center. He wrote on his Truth Social platform, “We will work with Congress to transfer this failing institution back to them, so they can decide what to do with it.” The performing arts center, located in the heart of the U.S. capital, was originally named in honor of President John F. Kennedy. Last December, the center’s board of directors, dominated by Trump allies, voted to rename the institution the “Trump Kennedy Center.” The Republican president’s name was quickly added to the facade in large gold letters above Kennedy’s. The judge also ordered a stay on Trump’s request to close the Kennedy Center for two years for renovation work. Upon returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump took a series of measures to elevate his name and image in official spaces, breaking with American political traditions. Additionally, the Trump administration is seeking to issue a $250 bill bearing his portrait to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the country’s independence from the British Empire.