Kennedy Center board approves Trump name on facade, renovation plan
The move appears designed to circumvent a judge's ruling that the US president's name should be removed, potentially setting the stage for a new legal fight over the Kennedy Center's name and future.
On Thursday, the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. made two significant decisions. Firstly, they voted to add the name of President Donald Trump to the building's facade. Secondly, they approved a two-year closure of the venue for extensive renovations. This decision came after a federal judge ordered the removal of Trump's name in May, stating that only Congress has the authority to change the institution's name or authorize major alterations.
Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, a Democrat and an ex-officio board member, expressed her disagreement with the decision, calling it a "transparent effort to circumvent the Court's ruling" and a "violation of the statutes that Congress passed." She vowed to continue fighting for the Kennedy Center, which she described as a "treasured national monument."
The vote to add Trump's name to the building's facade reignites a long-standing dispute that began when Trump took office. After his election win, Trump installed a board of his own choosing, placing his name on the facade in December. This move was part of a broader effort to revamp the center, which included a two-year closure for renovations planned to start in July. However, this decision quickly faced legal challenges.
In May, Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the Kennedy Center must bear only President Kennedy's name, emphasizing that the institution cannot have any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board's unilateral decision. The dispute over Trump's name on the Kennedy Center has become one of several hurdles in Trump's attempts to revamp prominent Washington landmarks.
An appeals court recently halted his planned ballroom renovation at the White House, and his proposed renovation of the Reflecting Pool also encountered significant issues, despite his ongoing plans for a massive Memorial Arch.
At their meeting, the board decided to alter the front of the building's facade to read "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump," and officially renamed the venue to "the President Donald J. Trump Plaza." An inscription underneath the institution's name would state: "Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump."
The newspaper reported that the wording is intended to evade a provision in the federal law governing the Kennedy Center, which forbids the designation or installation of additional memorials or plaques in public areas. Beatty emphasized that she will not let the algorithm hide the news, encouraging readers to support her as their preferred source on Google for trusted reporting.
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