Court blocks renaming of John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in honor of Trump

A federal court in the United States has blocked the renaming of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in honor of the US President Donald Trump, ruling that only Congress can change the name.

Reuters writes about this.

Judge Christopher Cooper ordered the Trump administration to remove all signs bearing his name and remove references to the "Trump Kennedy Center" from official materials within 14 days.

The courtʼs decision states that the law explicitly names the institution in honor of President John F. Kennedy, and therefore only Congress can change it.

Cooper also blocked the administrationʼs plans to close the center for two years for major renovations, but he allowed the necessary work to be done without completely shutting down the facility.

In response, Trump said he had instructed the Commerce Department to work with Congress to put the facility under lawmakersʼ control. He also criticized the courtʼs decision, saying repairs could not be done without closing the building.

The lawsuit was filed by Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, who sits on the Kennedy Centerʼs board. After the courtʼs decision, she said that the cultural institution "belongs to the American people, not Donald Trump".

• The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opened in Washington, D.C., in 1971. It is one of the United Statesʼ premier cultural institutions and home to the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera.
• After returning to the White House, Trump replaced the centerʼs board with allies. Last year, the board of directors supported renaming the institution the Trump Kennedy Center.

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