U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that renaming the Kennedy Center the Trump-Kennedy Center is illegal because the institution must be dedicated to “President Kennedy and President Kennedy only,” Politico reported May 29.
The judge also overturned the decision to close the center for two years to allow for renovations. The judge said repairs could be made after consultation with the centre’s board of directors.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, also known as the Kennedy Center, has been in operation since 1971. US President Donald Trump dissolved the center’s board of trustees in 2025 and appointed new members, who elected him president and voted to add his name to the center’s name.
Trump has repeatedly stated that he has a personal interest in renaming the Kennedy Center. During the hearing, center staff said Trump was directly involved in even the smallest details of the redevelopment of the complex and the ballrooms — from the design of the chairs to the design of the ornate columns.
The judge made this decision after considering a lawsuit filed by US Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, who served on the board of directors of the Kennedy Center. According to her, she was deprived of the right to vote during the vote, during which the issue of closing and rebuilding the center was decided.
Center spokeswoman Roma Dharavi said she expected the court to take into account Trump’s “historic contributions” to the cultural center when considering the appeal.
Representatives of the White House and Department of Justice did not respond to reporters’ requests. In court, the Justice Department said that the decision to rename the center was legal because it was an unofficial name, and Trump’s name was added to the facade of the building in December.