Judge Rules Kennedy Center Must Retain Trump Name

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the Kennedy Center board lacked authority to add President Donald Trump's name to the venue in December and ordered all references to Trump removed from signage and the website within 14 days.

The ruling also blocks the board's March decision to close the center for two years starting in July. Cooper found the board relied on incomplete information when it made that decision and failed to adequately consider its duty to maintain programming. The judge allowed ongoing renovations to continue but said any future closure decision must follow proper review procedures.

The board added Trump's name after President Trump appointed new trustees to the center. Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio filed the lawsuit challenging both the name change and the planned closure. Cooper noted that the center still needs repairs and left open the possibility of a future closure if the board follows legal requirements.

"Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it," Cooper wrote in the May 29, 2026 ruling, which was reported across multiple outlets.