DOJ says no action to add Trump's name to Kennedy Center before October
In a filing late Thursday, the DOJ said the effort to add President Donald Trump's name to the facade and plaza will "not be effectuated before October 8, 2026."
The U.S. Department of Justice has informed a federal judge that the Justice Department will not add President Donald Trump's name to the Kennedy Center before October 8, 2026. During a hearing on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper urged the Kennedy Center to delay its plans to honor Trump. The attorney for Ohio Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, who is on the Kennedy Center's Board of Trustees, accused the board of defiance, claiming they violated an earlier order to remove Trump's name.
Cooper did not explicitly agree with the board's actions but did not prevent them from continuing. The DOJ argued that the board's intent was to rename the complex after Trump, but the administration maintains the Kennedy Center will remain a memorial to John F. Kennedy. They also stated there is no evidence the move to add Trump's name is imminent.
Cooper expressed skepticism about the administration's brief, calling some of its content a non-sequitur. He requested more time to consider the case and suggested he might impose an order maintaining the current status quo if management did not comply.
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