Federal judge orders Trump's name removed from Kennedy Center

US District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled the Kennedy Center board "overstepped its statutory bounds" by adding Trump's name to the congressionally established JFK memorial, ordering removal from all signage and materials within 14 days. The 94-page decision also blocked a planned two-year closure for renovations, finding the Trump-appointed board violated its legal mandate. The ruling establishes that only Congress can rename federally chartered cultural institutions, setting precedent for executive limits on symbolic institution control. The Kennedy Center board plans to appeal, but the decision constrains presidential authority over congressionally created memorials and quasi-public entities.