Rep. Joyce Beatty has asked a federal court to block the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from reinstating President Donald Trump's name on the building.
Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center, filed an emergency request Thursday. Her lawyers argue that the board's recent vote to restore Trump's name constitutes "clear violations" of a previous court order. The Kennedy Center previously had Trump's name removed in June.
Previous Ruling and Board Actions
In May, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the Kennedy Center had illegally added Trump's name to the building and ordered its removal. The venue's board, described as Trump-aligned, voted earlier this month to re-inscribe the president's name on the building's facade. The proposed inscription would read "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump."
Additionally, a second inscription reading "Endowed by the Trump Kennedy Center Fund" would be added if the Trump Kennedy Center Fund reached $100 million. The plaza in front of the center was also slated to be renamed in Trump's honor.
A representative for the Kennedy Center stated that the institution would not attempt to engrave Trump's name before Sept. 8 to allow legal proceedings to continue. The board's resolution cited Trump's "unique stature as both an unparalleled fundraiser and world-class developer" as crucial to the center's financial stability, warning of potential "financial ruin" without him.
Legal Basis and Center's History
Congress established the performing arts center as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy in 1964, following his assassination. The original legislation explicitly prohibits the board of trustees from turning the center into a memorial for any other individual or from placing another person's name on the building's exterior.
Lawyers for the Kennedy Center have indicated that scaffolding and a tarp remain in place where Trump's name was removed, citing the need for "water testing and structural repairs to the roof overhang" as justification for not taking them down. This has led to questions about the full compliance with the May court order.