Federal Judge Rules Trump's Renaming of Kennedy Center Illegal, Orders Name Removed

'Congress gave the Kennedy Centre its name, and only Congress can change it,' Cooper wrote in his decision.

The judge also blocked the administration from closing the arts venue for major renovations, ruling that the Kennedy Center board's March 16 vote to close the facility was 'ill-informed and seemingly preordained' with no regard for its legal obligations.

'The trustees might have assessed the propriety of closure in a number of prudent ways. This was not one,' Cooper wrote.

Trump's Takeover and Response

Trump had taken control of the Kennedy Center shortly after taking office roughly 16 months ago, dismissing its leadership and installing a new board under his own chairmanship.

He had described the institution as a left-wing, 'woke' entity and announced a campaign against what he called 'anti-American propaganda' in the cultural world, promising a 'patriotic' programming overhaul.

Following the ruling, Trump reacted angrily on his Truth Social platform, stating that he felt unjustly treated by the courts.

'Es gab noch nie einen Präsidenten der Vereinigten Staaten, der von den Gerichten so ungerecht behandelt wurde wie ich,' Trump wrote, according to a verified quote.

He also announced his resignation from the chairmanship of the board he had installed, declaring he had 'no interest' in continuing the effort unless he could operate without restrictions.

'Solange es mir nicht freisteht, das zu tun, was ich besser kann als jeder andere - diese Institution physisch, finanziell und künstlerisch wieder aufzubauen - habe ich keinerlei Interesse daran, einen Weg fortzusetzen, der nur eine hoffnungslose Reise ins 'Nimmerland' wäre,' Trump wrote.

History of the Kennedy Center

Trump further attacked the judge's decision, claiming that the judge and 'the radical left' preferred to see the Kennedy Center 'die' rather than witness him transform it into something everyone could be proud of.

The Kennedy Center was established in Washington to honor President John F. Kennedy after his assassination in 1963 and opened its doors in 1971. It has since become one of the most significant cultural institutions in the United States.

The legal challenge centered on the 1964 statute that created the memorial, which explicitly designates the building as a living memorial to Kennedy and requires congressional approval for any name change.

What the Ruling Means

The ruling comes roughly two weeks before Trump's 80th birthday, a milestone that had been noted in some coverage of the renaming effort.

The decision also halted, at least temporarily, a plan to close the center beginning on the July 4 national holiday for what the administration had described as necessary renovations.

Legal experts noted that the ruling reinforces the principle that presidential authority does not extend to unilaterally altering the names of federally established memorials without legislative action.

The Kennedy Center board, now without Trump as chairman, faces the task of restoring the institution's original name and addressing the operational questions raised by the blocked closure plan.