The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington has carried its founder’s name since it opened in 1971. Earlier this year, the Trump administration moved to rebrand the building — placing the Trump name on one of the capital’s most prominent cultural venues, a move that drew an immediate legal challenge.
The court order
That challenge landed in federal court, and on Thursday, June 12, a federal appeals court rejected a request to delay the removal. The ruling means the Trump name must come down from the Kennedy Center by Friday night.
The appeals court gave no indication it would pause the order while any further appeal proceeds. That left the deadline standing — and the clock running.
It isn’t yet clear whether the administration intends to seek emergency relief from a higher court before Friday’s cutoff. No statement had been issued by late Thursday, according to CNBC’s reporting.
CNBC reported the ruling on Thursday, June 12, 2026. Read the original report.
