President Trump’s name was removed from the signage of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, June 13, 2026. The removal followed a federal court order determining that the name was illegally added to the institution. The administration filed a notice of compliance stating it has removed signage purporting to name the center after the president and has withdrawn relevant trademark applications. Matt Floca, the president and executive director of the Kennedy Center, confirmed in a court filing that the name has been removed from all physical signage, the center’s website, and all official documents, including letterheads and employee email signatures. Photos of the site show a tarp covering the area where the name formerly appeared. The order to remove the name was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper, who ruled that only Congress has the authority to approve a name change to the institution. Judge Cooper also blocked the administration’s plans to close the center for two years for renovations. The Trump administration attempted to secure a last-minute stay of the deadline, arguing that changing the name could cause public confusion and that the center might be forced to refund donations made specifically because of the name change. The government also argued that the building is in “bad shape” and “unsightly,” claiming that renovations would make it “the envy of the World.” However, a panel of appellate judges rejected the request for an immediate stay. In response, attorneys for Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, who sued to block the name change, accused the administration of “gamesmanship” and filing a “frivolous stay request” to “jam the Court.” They argued the government had been planning to comply with the order for two weeks. The Kennedy Center, which was rebranded as the Trump-Kennedy Center in December by a Trump-aligned board, was originally established by Congress as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy.