Following a federal court order, President Donald Trump's name has been removed from the Kennedy Center. A judge ruled only Congress can change the name, reversing a decision made by a Trump-appointed board that had taken over the institution. The removal was done overnight and concealed by tarps. The ruling also blocked a planned two-year closure of the venue, though the Trump administration has appeals pending.
Kennedy Center name removal
- ▪The removal occurred around 3 a.m. on a Saturday, when a 14-member crew pried off the 18 letters spelling "The Donald J. Trump and"
- ▪The name was removed from all physical signage, the organization's website, and other materials
- ▪President Donald Trump's name has been removed from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., following a court order
- ▪The Kennedy Center was temporarily renamed "The Donald J Trump and the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts" in December, about six months prior
Trump administration takeover
- ▪Before the renaming, President Trump had purged the Kennedy Center's board of directors and replaced its members with his allies
- ▪Mallory Miller, a former employee fired after the takeover, co-founded the organization "Hands Off The Arts."
- ▪The new board installed Trump as chair, which was followed by staff layoffs, artist departures, and a drop in ticket sales
Court ruling enforcement
- ▪A D.C. federal judge, Christopher Cooper, ruled that only Congress has the legal power to change the Kennedy Center's name
- ▪The judge also blocked the Trump administration from closing the venue for two years of planned renovations
- ▪Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty sued the Trump administration over the name change
- ▪The court set a deadline of midnight on June 12 for the removal of the bronze letters from the facade
- ▪The Trump administration has further appeals pending regarding the court's decision
Historical iconoclasm examples
- ▪During Hungary's 1956 revolution against the Soviet Union, crowds destroyed a bronze statue of Stalin in Budapest
- ▪In 1776, American patriots toppled a statue of King George III in New York and melted it to make over 42,000 bullets
Tarp concealment strategy
- ▪Security guards have flanked the barricaded scaffolding since the name was removed
- ▪Large tarps were erected to shield the removal process, and they remained in place afterward, obscuring the building's facade
Public reaction symbolism
- ▪Teacher Monica Brooks Murphy, a visitor, said she wanted the center restored to being named solely for President John F. Kennedy
- ▪Before the removal, a crowd of more than 200 people gathered, chanting "Take it down!"
Story comments
Loading comments…