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\n Related: <\/span>Kennedy Family Reacts to Donald Trump\u2019s Planned Kennedy Center Closure<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tPresident Donald Trump has even more plans for the Kennedy Center after he worked to rename the landmark. \u201cThe Trump Kennedy Center will close on July 4th, 2026, in honor of the 250th Anniversary of our Country, whereupon we will simultaneously begin Construction of the new and spectacular Entertainment Complex,\u201d Trump, 79, wrote via Truth [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Judge\u2019s Ruling Explained<\/b><\/h2>\n
A judge ruled in May 2026 that Trump and the Kennedy Center\u2019s Board of Trustees acted unlawfully<\/span><\/a> when they added the president\u2019s name onto the venue, which Congress previously dedicated to President John F. Kennedy<\/b> in 1964 \u2014 a year after his assassination.<\/p>\n\u201cThe Kennedy Center\u2019s organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board\u2019s unilateral say-so,\u201d Cooper wrote in his decision. \u201cCongress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The judge also halted Trump\u2019s planned two-year shutdown of the venue, which was originally scheduled to begin in July 2026 to coincide with the country\u2019s 250th anniversary. Cooper found that \u201cnone of the board members had sufficient information in advance of the March 16 meeting to make a well-considered decision to close the center,\u201d according to The<\/i> New York Times<\/i>. He left the door open for the board to revisit the closure if it independently weighs \u201cits multiple obligations to the Center in a prudent fashion.\u201d<\/p>\nKennedy Center Staff Told to Scrub Trump References<\/b><\/h2>\n
In a June 4, 2026, memo obtained by Politico, Kennedy Center employees were told to strip Trump\u2019s name from internal and public-facing materials<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\u201cYou must immediately change email signatures, letterhead, and other documents to reflect the name as \u2018The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,\u2019 or \u2018Kennedy Center,’\u201d the memo read. \u201cOther changes, such as to templates and forms, signage, brochures, and website pages, must be completed no later than Friday, June 12, 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s name had already been quietly removed from the center\u2019s official website, voicemail and YouTube channel in the days leading up to the memo, according to the Associated Press.<\/p>\n
A Kennedy Center spokesperson said in a statement, \u201cWe are complying with the court\u2019s order while evaluating all legal options to preserve this revitalization and recognize President Trump\u2019s leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n
Construction workers were spotted removing Trump\u2019s name from the building facade on June 13, 2026.<\/p>\n
Maria Shriver and Jack Schlossberg Celebrate the Decision<\/b><\/h2>\n
JFK\u2019s niece Shriver called the ruling a \u201cbirthday present\u201d <\/span><\/a>for her late uncle, who would have turned 109 the day Cooper issued his decision.<\/p>\n\u201cAn appropriate birthday present on my uncle\u2019s birthday today. A federal judge ruled that President Trump and the Kennedy Center Board acted unlawfully in renaming the Kennedy Center after him,\u201d Shriver wrote via Threads in May 2026. \u201cThe judge held that only Congress can change the Center\u2019s name and blocked the planned two-year closure for now. I know they\u2019ll probably appeal and the story isn\u2019t over, but for today, let\u2019s celebrate a great birthday gift.\u201d<\/p>\n
JFK\u2019s grandson, Schlossberg, took an even sharper tone, writing via X: \u201cTrump can take the Kennedy Center for himself. He can change the name, shut the doors, and demolish the building. He can try to kill JFK. But JFK is kept alive by us now rising up to remove Donald Trump, bring him to justice, and restore the freedoms generations fought for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Donald Trump Responds to Judge\u2019s Ruling<\/b><\/h2>\n
The president slammed Cooper\u2019s decision in a lengthy Truth Social post, accusing the judge \u2014 a President Barack Obama <\/b>appointee \u2014 of bias and vowing to push Congress to take the building off his hands entirely.<\/p>\n
\u201cShockingly, a Judge appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, Christopher Cooper, ruled that The Kennedy Center, which was going to close in early July for large-scale renovations and construction due to years of neglect, decay, and poor maintenance, and which was to be transformed by the Trump Administration into the Finest Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World, is not allowed to close for these renovations,\u201d Trump wrote, claiming that he instructed the Department of Commerce to \u201cmake all necessary arrangements\u201d to transfer control <\/span><\/a>of the Kennedy Center back to Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-narrow.jpg\")
\n\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-wide.jpg\")
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\u201cThe Kennedy Center\u2019s organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board\u2019s unilateral say-so,\u201d Cooper wrote in his decision. \u201cCongress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The judge also halted Trump\u2019s planned two-year shutdown of the venue, which was originally scheduled to begin in July 2026 to coincide with the country\u2019s 250th anniversary. Cooper found that \u201cnone of the board members had sufficient information in advance of the March 16 meeting to make a well-considered decision to close the center,\u201d according to The<\/i> New York Times<\/i>. He left the door open for the board to revisit the closure if it independently weighs \u201cits multiple obligations to the Center in a prudent fashion.\u201d<\/p>\nKennedy Center Staff Told to Scrub Trump References<\/b><\/h2>\n
In a June 4, 2026, memo obtained by Politico, Kennedy Center employees were told to strip Trump\u2019s name from internal and public-facing materials<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cYou must immediately change email signatures, letterhead, and other documents to reflect the name as \u2018The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,\u2019 or \u2018Kennedy Center,’\u201d the memo read. \u201cOther changes, such as to templates and forms, signage, brochures, and website pages, must be completed no later than Friday, June 12, 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s name had already been quietly removed from the center\u2019s official website, voicemail and YouTube channel in the days leading up to the memo, according to the Associated Press.<\/p>\n A Kennedy Center spokesperson said in a statement, \u201cWe are complying with the court\u2019s order while evaluating all legal options to preserve this revitalization and recognize President Trump\u2019s leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n Construction workers were spotted removing Trump\u2019s name from the building facade on June 13, 2026.<\/p>\n JFK\u2019s niece Shriver called the ruling a \u201cbirthday present\u201d <\/span><\/a>for her late uncle, who would have turned 109 the day Cooper issued his decision.<\/p>\n \u201cAn appropriate birthday present on my uncle\u2019s birthday today. A federal judge ruled that President Trump and the Kennedy Center Board acted unlawfully in renaming the Kennedy Center after him,\u201d Shriver wrote via Threads in May 2026. \u201cThe judge held that only Congress can change the Center\u2019s name and blocked the planned two-year closure for now. I know they\u2019ll probably appeal and the story isn\u2019t over, but for today, let\u2019s celebrate a great birthday gift.\u201d<\/p>\n JFK\u2019s grandson, Schlossberg, took an even sharper tone, writing via X: \u201cTrump can take the Kennedy Center for himself. He can change the name, shut the doors, and demolish the building. He can try to kill JFK. But JFK is kept alive by us now rising up to remove Donald Trump, bring him to justice, and restore the freedoms generations fought for.\u201d<\/p>\n The president slammed Cooper\u2019s decision in a lengthy Truth Social post, accusing the judge \u2014 a President Barack Obama <\/b>appointee \u2014 of bias and vowing to push Congress to take the building off his hands entirely.<\/p>\n \u201cShockingly, a Judge appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, Christopher Cooper, ruled that The Kennedy Center, which was going to close in early July for large-scale renovations and construction due to years of neglect, decay, and poor maintenance, and which was to be transformed by the Trump Administration into the Finest Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World, is not allowed to close for these renovations,\u201d Trump wrote, claiming that he instructed the Department of Commerce to \u201cmake all necessary arrangements\u201d to transfer control <\/span><\/a>of the Kennedy Center back to Congress.<\/p>\nMaria Shriver and Jack Schlossberg Celebrate the Decision<\/b><\/h2>\n
Donald Trump Responds to Judge\u2019s Ruling<\/b><\/h2>\n
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