Photos Show Blank Facade After Removal of President Trump's Name From Kennedy Center

New photos published June 22, 2026, show a blank marble section on the Kennedy Center facade where President Trump's name had been displayed. Workers completed the removal on June 19 after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied a Justice Department request to pause the order.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper issued a preliminary injunction requiring removal of President Trump's name from the Kennedy Center's title, physical signage, website, and official materials. The judge ruled that the Kennedy Center board lacked authority to change the institution’s name because only Congress can alter a name given by statute.

The board had voted in December 2025 to rename the institution The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. As of June 20 scaffolding and a tarp covered the former location of the name display.

President Trump's name has also been removed from the center's website, with references deleted from email signatures, brochures, press releases, contracts, and trademark applications. Executive Director Matt Floca stated in a June 20 filing that the board will consider three renovation options at its mid-July meeting: complete closure with no programming, partial closure with limited programming, or phased closures with a full slate of performances.

Judge Cooper's order did not require the board to reschedule previously canceled programming or seek new programming.

The center continues preparing for capital repair and construction activities scheduled between July and December 2026. In a June 19 filing, Kennedy Center lawyers stated the institution plans to maintain an operational model after the July 5 date when it was initially scheduled to shutter, under which public spaces will remain accessible but stages may largely be silent.

The Justice Department asked Judge Cooper for additional time to respond to Rep.