A panel of judges on the D.C. Circuit appeals court has denied a request from former President Donald Trump and members of the Kennedy Center's board to halt the removal of Trump's name from the building.
The unsigned order stated that Trump's name has already been removed from the facade and that the board members "failed to show how they will be irreparably injured absent a stay." The judges also dismissed the argument that removing the name could negatively impact the center's fundraising efforts, citing a lack of specific evidence.
This ruling affirms a May decision by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who ordered Trump's name removed after a Trump-controlled board voted in December to rename the building the "Trump-Kennedy Center." Cooper also voided a board vote to close the center for renovations. He has since directed the center's leadership to provide updates on any programming and renovation plans discussed in a mid-July board meeting.
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) stated that the ruling "again affirms that this administration's efforts to rename the Kennedy Center were unlawful" and urged the administration to accept the decision.
A tarp now covers the facade of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, following the federal judge's order.