Appeals Court Allows Removal of Trump’s Name From Kennedy Center

A judge ruled last month that only Congress may change the name of the iconic performing arts facility.

Workers adjust the name of the “John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts" in Washington on Dec. 19, 2025. Heather Diehl/Getty Images

An appeals court on June 12 refused to block the removal of President Donald Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center in the nation’s capital.

In an unsigned order, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit denied Trump’s request to halt the removal. Earlier in the day, Washington-based U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper similarly refused to pause his May 29 ruling ordering the removal of Trump’s name.