Workers begin removing Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., after a federal appeals court ruling. The court denied a last-minute appeal to keep Trump's name on the building.
Those in charge at theKennedy Centerhave been accused by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, of purposely allowing the Washington, D.C., venue to languish into a "lifeless husk" by not resuming regular shows. programming.
Beatty. an ex officio board member of the Kennedy Center, initially filed the lawsuit against PresidentDonald Trumpin December 2025, when the board decided to install signage displaying his name alongside Kennedy's on the building.
According to a court filing Friday, Beatty's legal team argued the current board, with Trump as chairman, is in violation of a May court order by "refusing to take any steps to maintain the Center’s operations,. will effectively close the Center as a performing arts venue come July 5, 2026."
"They plan to turn the Kennedy Center into a lifeless husk," Beatty's lawyers wrote.
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Rep. Joyce Beatty speaks near scaffolding at the Kennedy Center in Washington. D.C., June 12, 2026, as construction workers work nearby.(The Washington Post)
Lawyers for the Kennedy Center responded by saying. "The Court’s order did not affirmatively require the Board to reschedule programming that had previously been canceled or to seek new programming."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Kennedy Center and the White House for additional comment.
The order from U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper prevented the Kennedy Center from initiating itsplanned two-year closure for renovations. Cooper also ordered Trump's name taken off the building, which happened last weekend.
Cooper's 94-page order last month did not explicitly say that shows must immediately resume, given that there are "at least some plans to restart rehearsals, performances. educational programming."
FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP'S NAME REMOVED FROM KENNEDY CENTER, SAYS ONLY CONGRESS CAN RENAME IT
He did say that the board "bears an affirmative duty to carry out the Center’s programming. maintain a memorial to President Kennedy. It may not simply stop putting on shows altogether."
President Donald Trump delivers remarks in the Oval Office during the medal presentation ceremony for the 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees, including musicians Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons. Peter Criss of the rock band KISS, actors Sylvester Stallone and Michael Crawford and country musician George Strait Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C.(Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images)
The Kennedy Center said its management would begin presenting recommendations for plans to reopen.
The venue's lawyers said the board is considering several options, includinga full closure with noprogramming, a partial closure that would keep some areas open to the public. allow performances in unaffected spaces and a phased repair plan that would revive a full programming schedule.
A vote on these options. which they say have not been finalized, will be held in mid-July, Kennedy Center lawyers said.
TRUMP FIRES KENNEDY CENTER BOARD MEMBERS CITING DRAG SHOWS, APPOINTS HIMSELF CHAIRMAN
The battle over the Kennedy Center began in February 2025. shortly after Trump was inaugurated for a second time as president. Hereplaced several trustees on theboard, while also appointing himself a trustee.
The new Trump-allied board then elected him chair, enabling him tofire the previous presidentof the center, Deborah Rutter.
Ina speechin May 2025, he claimed that, under Rutter's leadership, the board "wasted millions. millions of dollars and handed us a budget deficit of $26 million."
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts and U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who ruled that President Donald Trump's name be removed from the building.(Getty; U.S. District Court of D.C.)
"In addition, the programming was out of control with rampant political propaganda, DEI, and inappropriate shows. We had some very inappropriate shows, to put it — I think, to put it very nicely," Trump added.
Also in May 2025, the new board stripped all 23 ex officio members of voting rights. Members of this category include notable Democrats, such as Senate Minority LeaderChuck Schumer, as well as Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Education Secretary Linda McMahon among them.
In February, Trump announced the two-year closure on Truth Social, which was later blocked as a result of Beatty's lawsuit.
The saga culminated on June 13, when workers beganremoving Trump's name from theKennedy Center. The sign previously said "The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts."
James Cirrone is a writer on the Breaking/Trending News team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to james.cirrone@fox.com.
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