A Democratic lawmaker is pushing a federal judge to force the removal of President Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center — setting up a high-stakes legal fight over one of Washington’s most iconic cultural institutions.
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) argues the move to add Trump’s name violates federal law, which explicitly established the venue as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy — and “no one else.” In a new court filing, her lawyers say the board’s decision to rebrand the building is a “clear breach” of its legal duties.
The dispute stems from a Trump-aligned board vote to rename the center and update its signage — part of broader plans that also include a potential two-year shutdown for a full rebuild.
Beatty’s legal team says the law leaves no room for reinterpretation: the Kennedy Center’s name is not optional, and adding another president to it crosses a line Congress drew decades ago.
Now, the question heads to a federal judge — who could decide whether Trump’s name stays or is stripped from the landmark altogether.
