Trump reacts to latest twist in Kennedy Center saga

After a judge ordered his name removed from the Kennedy Center, President Donald Trump said he had “no interest” in the world-famous venue.

Federal judge orders Trump’s name removed from Kennedy Center

A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump’s name removed from the Kennedy Center, ruling the rebranding illegal.

Even for an iconic venue known for its plays and musicals, May 29 was a dramatic day for the Kennedy Center.

A federal judge ordered President Donald Trump’s name removed from the building’s facade and halted planned renovations that would have closed the institution for two years. Trump criticized the order but appeared to abandon his wish to redesign the building, writing in a social media post that he would transfer control of the venue to Congress.

“Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, to bring this institution back, physically, financially and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what could only be a desperate journey to ‘NEVER NEVER LAND,'” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president later said that without the renovations and his plans for the venue, “the Kennedy Center will soon be closed, and probably never reopen.”

It’s the latest twist in Trump’s months-long campaign to renovate the venue he has criticized for being too “woke.” The center is also among several iconic Washington buildings and cultural institutions that Trump has sought to redesign to his liking.

But despite Trump’s pledge to hand control of the center to lawmakers, a Kennedy Center spokeswoman said an appeal would be filed by the center’s board of directors, made up largely of Trump allies. The Justice Department also announced its intention to appeal.

With the fate of the cultural hub in limbo, here’s what you need to know about the recent ordinance and the administration’s attempts to overhaul the venue.

Judge says Congress must approve name change, halt renovations

In his May 29 order, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper argued that the board’s decision to change the name of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts venue to “Trump-Kennedy Center” went against lawmakers’ intent in 1964 to honor the late president.

“Congress made clear that the Kennedy Center would serve as both the nation’s premier performing arts center and a living memorial, the only one dedicated to the late president in the Washington, D.C. area,” said Cooper, an Obama appointee.

He added that since Congress named the Kennedy Center after him, “only Congress can change it.”

The order further halted renovations that would have closed the building for two years. Cooper questioned whether the renovations could be done without closing the building and said the board had “no meaningful opportunity to consider perhaps the most important decision in the life of the Center since its opening in 1971.”

On May 30, Trump blasted Cooper’s order, writing that his name was added to the center through a vote of “some of the most distinguished people in the country.” He also said the building had to be closed for major renovations.

“It is not possible to undertake a major and very dangerous construction job, including the replacement of structural beams, with spectators innocently walking in to watch a play,” Trump said.

How Trump took over the Kennedy Center

The renovation of the Kennedy Center was among several projects Trump undertook during his second term as part of his continuing effort to redesign the nation’s capital to his liking. Other projects include the White House Ballroom, a triumphal arch and renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

In February, Trump terminated the Kennedy Center board and installed himself as the new president while tapping several political allies as new board members. Trump chose Ric Grenell, his envoy for special missions, as chairman of the center.

The president complained about the venue’s “woke” programming and promised to bring in better shows and musical acts while securing $257 million in federal dollars for renovations that he says are sorely needed.

In December, the center’s board of directors voted to rename the Kennedy Center the “Trump-Kennedy Center.” In less than 24 hours, crews installed new signage outside the building reading “The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

In his ruling, Cooper ordered that Trump’s name be removed from the exterior of the building as well as office equipment within 14 days.

After Trump took power, show cancellations pile up

Trump’s efforts to transform the Kennedy Center have led to a wave of show cancellations, with about two dozen artists pulling out of scheduled performances.

Among the artists who canceled events were Renée Fleming, Béla Fleck, the Washington National Opera, a touring production of “Hamilton,” Issa Rae, Kristy Lee and Wayne Tucker. Actors in a performance of “Les Misérables” also boycotted an event at the center.

Weeks after Trump’s name was added to the building, composer Phillip Glass canceled the world premiere of his “Lincoln” symphony at the legendary institution.

“Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values ​​of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the symphony,” Glass wrote in a statement. “Therefore, I feel an obligation to remove this first symphony from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership.”

In a statement regarding the cancellations, Roma Daravi, a spokesperson for the center, said that “those who call for a boycott for political reasons are making the wrong decision.”

“We haven’t canceled a single show,” Daravi added. “Left-wing activists are pushing artists to cancel, but the public wants artists to perform and create – not under pressure from political insiders who profit from division.”

Contributors: Joey Garrison, Anna Kaufman and Edward Segarra, USA TODAY

Christopher Cann is a national reporter for USA TODAY. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on X @Chris__Cann.

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