A federal judge has mandated that the Washington arts institution, known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, must remove the name of President Trump from its facade by Friday. This decision was rendered by Judge Christopher R. Cooper, who emphasized that only Congress holds the authority to change the name of the center dedicated to President Kennedy under a 1964 law.
On Thursday, the board of the Kennedy Center, largely composed of Trump’s allies, decided to appeal the judge’s order. This decision was made as the deadline to comply with the ruling approached.
Judge Cooper asserted in his ruling that the board didn’t have the power to independently alter the name of the arts center. Thus, President Trump’s name should be removed by the specified date, reinforcing that only congressional action could modify the center’s designation.
In response to this ruling, officials aligned with Trump initially stated their intention to challenge the decision. They remained confident that the courts would support the board’s decision to honor what they termed President Trump’s significant contributions to the country’s cultural hub.
Requests for comments from the representatives of the Kennedy Center were not immediately answered.
Julia Jacobs, an arts and culture reporter for The Times, frequently covers legal matters.
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