A federal judge on Friday, June 12, denied an appeal by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ board of trustees seeking to block the removal of President Trump’s name from the Washington building.
The board had asked for a stay — a pause on any action – while the underlying legal dispute worked its way through the courts. The judge refused.
The dispute
Without a stay in place, there’s no court-imposed barrier stopping the name from coming down. The board’s appeal had been the last procedural tool available to halt the process pending further litigation.
Who controls the Kennedy Center’s board has itself been a point of conflict. Earlier this year, Trump moved to install new trustees, displacing members who had served under the previous administration. The board that filed Friday’s appeal was the one aligned with those opposing the name change.
Trump’s name had been added to the building’s facade as part of a broader renaming push. The Kennedy Center – formally named in honor of President John F. Kennedy – has carried that designation for decades.
The ruling doesn’t resolve the full legal fight over the naming dispute. Friday’s decision addressed only the stay request; the underlying case hasn’t been decided.
Reported by NPR. Read the original report.
