A US federal judge ruled Friday that only Congress can rename or renovate the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, rebuking the Trump administration, which had planned to close the venue for renovations and add Trump’s name to it.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper wrote, “The Kennedy Center’s organic statute makes absolutely clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and that it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial at the discretion of the Board.”
The judge said, “Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name and only Congress can change it.”
Cooper also ruled that the Kennedy Center board’s vote to close the facility “appears to be ill-informed and premeditated” with no regard for its legal obligations.
The decision was the latest legal setback for Trump’s efforts to leave his personal mark on Washington’s landscape and landmarks.
In response, Trump announced that he was canceling the proposed renovation of the center and returning control of the venue to Congress.
Trump: The judge should be ‘ashamed’
In a lengthy post on his Truth social platform, Trump lashed out against the judge, pointing out that he was appointed by former President Barack Obama and saying Cooper should be “ashamed of himself.”
Trump defended his decision to close the art venue for renovation, arguing that he was saving the place from years of “neglect, decay and poor maintenance”.
In his Truth Social post, the President said he would hand control of the venue back to Congress.
Trump became interested in operating the Kennedy Center after winning the 2024 election. He got a board installed with his name as Chairman written on it and his name was added to the facade of a building.
The Kennedy Center has continued to perform prior to the closing, although at a much slower pace than in previous years.
Joyce Beatty, a member of the US House of Representatives, said the decision was a victory for the Kennedy Center and the performing arts.
“Now that hopefully people can get back to work, we can continue to be the Kennedy Center that we wanted to be,” he said.
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Edited by: Shawn Sinico