what to watch for
Whether the Kennedy Center will appeal Cooper’s Friday ruling. The Kennedy Center can appeal the decision to Washington’s federal court of appeals, but the timeline for such a process is unclear, the New York Times reported, and legal observers told the Times the judge’s original order suggests the center has until midnight to remove Trump’s name. Lawyers representing the Kennedy Center filed an appeal to fight the order requiring Trump’s name removal on Thursday.
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Why Did A Court Order Trump’s Name Removed From The Kennedy Center?
Cooper ruled in late May the Kennedy Center’s name cannot be changed without congressional approval, saying the center’s establishing 1964 law “makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy.” Cooper ruled in favor of Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, who filed a lawsuit arguing the Kennedy Center cannot be renamed by its board of trustees alone. Following the court ruling, the Kennedy Center instructed employees to immediately remove Trump’s name from all official materials. Trump lambasted Cooper in a post on Truth Social after the ruling, suggesting he should be “brought up on charges” for conflict of interest because his wife, Amy Jeffress, is a personal counsel to former President Joe Biden.
tangent
The Washington National Opera filed a lawsuit against the Kennedy Center on Friday, alleging it “wrongfully held” donor gifts and endowment funds that belong to the opera. The organization, which cut ties with the Kennedy Center in January, asked for $17 million in damages.
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key background
Trump embarked on a controversial takeover of the Kennedy Center shortly after beginning his second term, purging the center’s board and replacing fired members with allies in February 2025. The board then elected Trump as its new chair, and in December, the board voted to add Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center. Trump has said he targeted the Kennedy Center because he opposed its “woke” programming. Trump’s takeover has sparked protests from artists and a wave of cancellations, with Issa Rae and Shonda Rhimes among the artists who cut ties with the institution.
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further reading
Kennedy Center Begins Dropping Trump Name (Forbes)