Kennedy Center Board Approves Inscription of Trump’s Name
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Kennedy Center Board Approves Inscription of Trump's Name
- The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees recently voted to inscribe "Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump" on the building's exterior, despite a previous federal court order to remove his name.
- This decision, made on Thursday, August 13, 2026, also included a vote to close the performing arts venue for two years for renovations, a plan that U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper had previously blocked.
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The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Board of Trustees has once again voted to include President Donald Trump’s name on the building, approving a resolution on Thursday, August 13, 2026, to inscribe “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” beneath the main signage. This action comes after a federal judge, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, had previously ordered the removal of Trump’s name from the center in May 2026, stating that only Congress has the authority to name the institution. The center had removed the previous signage in June 2026.
The board’s decision also included re-approving a plan to close the main building for two years for renovations, with an estimated budget of about $250 million. This renovation project is slated for completion by the summer of 2028. Congress had appropriated $257 million for repairs to the Kennedy Center. Judge Cooper had initially halted the closure plan in May 2026, citing an inadequate review process by the board. However, he left open the possibility for the board to reconsider the closure after a more thorough investigation.
This latest move by the board, which is largely comprised of Trump appointees, is seen as a challenge to the federal court’s ruling. Representative Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex officio trustee who filed the initial lawsuit against the naming, has stated that this is a “transparent effort to circumvent the Court’s ruling.” The resolution from the board reportedly aims to honor President Trump for his “existential and unprecedented contributions to the survival of the center.” Discussions have also included potentially renaming the center’s grounds the “President Donald J. Trump Plaza” and adding a third line to the inscription if an endowment fund named for Trump reaches $100 million.
As of August 19, 2026, the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees has committed to not taking further action on reinscribing Trump’s name before September 8, as legal arguments continue to unfold. Programming at the Reach, the center’s education and community facility, is expected to continue during the renovation, while major events like the Kennedy Center Honors and the Mark Twain Prize may be held at outside venues.