A US federal judge has ordered that President Donald Trump’s name be removed from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ruling that the institution’s board did not have the authority to change the venue’s name.
The controversy began after the Kennedy Center board voted to rename the landmark as the “Trump Kennedy Center”. The decision was challenged in court on the grounds that the centre was established by Congress as a memorial to former US President John F. Kennedy.
In his ruling, Judge Christopher Cooper said only Congress has the power to alter the centre’s official name. He directed that all references to Trump’s name at the venue be removed and restored to the original designation.
The court also blocked plans to temporarily close the centre for a major renovation project, although necessary maintenance and repair work can continue.
The dispute has drawn national attention, with critics arguing that the renaming undermined the institution’s historical significance. Several artists and cultural figures had previously expressed concern over changes made at the centre in recent months.
Supporters of the legal challenge welcomed the judgment, saying it protects the Kennedy Center’s identity and preserves congressional authority over one of the country’s most prominent cultural institutions.
The ruling marks the latest development in an ongoing debate over the future direction and governance of the Kennedy Center, a venue that hosts some of the United States’ most important artistic and cultural events.
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