WASHINGTON — The board of trustees at the Kennedy Center is making an emergency attempt to halt a federal court mandate requiring the removal of President Donald Trump’s name from the renowned performing arts venue before Friday’s deadline.
During a Thursday meeting, board members voted to request a stay of U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper’s May 29 decision declaring that Trump’s name was unlawfully placed on the Kennedy Center, according to an individual with knowledge of the private deliberations who spoke anonymously. The official stay request is scheduled to be submitted Friday, the source indicated.
Cooper determined that only Congress possesses the authority to modify the Kennedy Center’s designation and mandated that all Trump references be eliminated by Friday. The judge additionally prevented the administration from shuttering the cultural institution for extensive renovations that were set to begin in July and continue for two years.
This board action represents a departure from a June 4 internal memo from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel instructing employees that email signatures, official letterhead and other materials should display the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.”
The Kennedy Center’s online presence has already eliminated the president’s name. Additionally, an email distributed this week to patrons promoting ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor ceremony originated from the Kennedy Center without incorporating Trump’s name.
“The Trump administration’s 11th hour gambit after waiting nearly two weeks evinces desperation,” stated Norm Eisen, a board member at Democracy Defenders Action, and Nathaniel Zelinsky, senior counsel at the Washington Litigation Group. “That is what they should be feeling because they don’t have a legal leg to stand on. We will be vigorously contesting this latest ploy as we have throughout the case on behalf of Congresswoman Beatty and the American people.”
The attorneys represent Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio Kennedy Center board member who initiated the legal challenge to strip Trump’s name from the institution.
Following minimal attention to the Kennedy Center throughout most of his initial presidency, Trump has exercised significant control over the facility since returning to office. Within one month of beginning his second term, he removed the center’s existing leadership and installed a personally selected board of trustees that designated him as chairman. He appointed Richard Grenell as president, a role he maintained until March when Matt Floca took over the position.
The venue’s programming has shifted toward more Trump-aligned content, hosting events including the debut of first lady Melania Trump’s documentary, “Melania.”
The board additionally announced the facility’s rebranding as the Trump Kennedy Center, a modification that legal experts and legislators argue requires congressional approval, and physically installed the president’s name on the building’s exterior.
The arts community’s reaction was immediate and severe. Performer Issa Rae, musician Bela Fleck and writer Louise Penny were among many artists who canceled scheduled appearances, while advisors including musician Ben Folds and vocalist Renée Fleming stepped down. This month, National Symphony Orchestra executive director Jean Davidson departed to lead the Los Angeles-based Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
Along with approving the stay request Thursday, the board endorsed a resolution acknowledging Trump’s “commitment to uphold this cherished American institution.”
