Trump’s Name Removed from Kennedy Center Amid Legal Battle

In Washington, workers removed the name of President Donald Trump from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, June 13, 2026. This action followed a court deadline to remove the letters, which had been in place for less than six months. The bronze letters were taken down after a judge ruled that renaming the center required Congressional approval.

Charles Matthew Floca, Kennedy Center Executive Director and COO, confirmed the removal, citing weather delays. References to Trump on the center’s website were also eliminated. The renaming occurred after Trump, during his second term, replaced the Kennedy Center’s leadership and was subsequently named as chairman, leading to his name being added to the building’s façade.

The administration sought to pause the ruling, arguing that Trump’s name attracted donors crucial for funding the center’s renovation. They stated that without his name, fundraising would cease, impacting financial commitments. However, the appeals court denied this request.

Scaffolding was erected on Friday around the area where Trump’s name had been added in December 2025, and workers, under cover of tarpaulin, removed the metallic letters in a pre-dawn operation. Despite forecasts of thunderstorms, the removal proceeded as scheduled.

A crowd gathered in the rain, some expressing displeasure at the obscured removal with cries of ‘Cover up!’ among them. Krystal Brewer, a social justice advocate, saw the removal as enforcing accountability and maintaining government checks, reclaiming part of Washington from a president putting his mark on the capital.

In recent actions, Trump oversaw the controversial demolition of the White House’s East Wing for a large ballroom and ordered his image displayed prominently on federal buildings. Brewer noted, ‘I wanted to see us get a part of our city back,’ highlighting the significance of restoring a part of the city amid Trump’s transformative actions.

Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, who had filed the lawsuit, observed the event, emphasizing that it was time for Trump to follow the law. Another onlooker, Mary Foltz, noted the metaphorical lack of transparency in the administration’s actions, viewing the covered removal as symbolic.