The Kennedy Center began removing President Donald Trump’s name from its facade Friday evening and into the early hours of Saturday, hours after a court-ordered deadline.
Scaffolding went up outside the performing arts center on Friday as dozens of onlookers gathered to watch the removal. In a court filing seeking an extension, the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees said nearby thunderstorms had delayed the work but that “removal work is presently ongoing” and was expected to be completed overnight. An arts advocacy group also arranged a livestream of the effort.
Workers later covered the scaffolding with tarps before beginning to remove Trump’s name. Crews left the site around 3:30 a.m., though the tarps remained in place, making it unclear whether all of the lettering had been taken down.
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Workers wait for the rain to stop before resuming work to remove President Donald Trump’s name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) -
Workers construct scaffolding below the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts sign Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) -
People wait for President Donald Trump’s name to be removed from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) -
Workers install tarps on the scaffolding at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Saturday, June 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) -
A worker removes a letter from President Donald Trump’s name from the wall of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Saturday, June 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) -
The wall of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is covered in tarp after President Donald Trump’s name was removed, in Washington, Saturday, June 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
The board made a last-minute attempt to halt the order, but U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, appointed by former President Barack Obama, rejected the request Friday, finding that the Kennedy Center had not demonstrated its appeal was likely to succeed.
Trump moved quickly to reshape the institution after returning to office. Just weeks into his second term, he removed the center’s leadership, installed a new board of trustees, and was subsequently named chairman. His name was then added to the building in Dec. 2025, reading: “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE STATE OF THE KENNEDY CENTER BEFORE TWO-YEAR RENOVATION
In a ruling that found only Congress has the authority to change the Kennedy Center’s name, Cooper also barred the administration from closing the venue for a planned two-year renovation project that was scheduled to begin in July.
The Kennedy Center argued in its appeal that the renovations were urgently needed and accused the court of interfering with efforts to address serious structural concerns.
“The District Court is not allowing us to close in order to properly fix up and repair the Building, including potentially life threatening structural damage like beams and parking garage ceilings that are rusted, and in serious danger of falling onto people below,” the filing stated. “Indeed, total collapse!”
Arts organization posts Kennedy Center livestream for Trump name takedown
Even as it continued to challenge the ruling, the Kennedy Center took steps to comply. A June 4 memo from the Office of General Counsel instructed staff that email signatures, letterhead, and other official documents must refer to the institution as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or simply “Kennedy Center.”