A U.S. federal appeals court has once again shut down President Trump’s attempt to temporarily keep his name on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In a ruling on July 8, the court rejected an emergency request from the Trump administration and the Kennedy Center board, refusing to allow the name to be displayed while the case is under appeal.
On June 13, in the early hours, people gathered near the Kennedy Center’s exterior signage in Washington, D.C., waving flags and holding signs that read “You’re No Kennedy” in protest.
A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, including one judge appointed by Trump himself, denied the urgent request by the Trump administration and the Kennedy Center board. The administration argued that removing Trump’s name would hurt fundraising efforts for the center and worsen its financial troubles. But the appeals court said these claims lacked real facts or evidence to back them up. Still, the court emphasized that this decision wasn’t about the core issue of the name change—it just means the appeal process can continue.
The White House hasn’t commented on this ruling yet.
Last December, the Kennedy Center’s new board, which Trump had reshuffled, voted to add Trump’s name to the venue. Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, a board member, then filed a lawsuit challenging the name change and demanding Trump’s name be removed. In May, a federal district court ruled that the name couldn’t be changed without congressional approval, ordering Trump’s name taken down. Since then, the signs have been removed from the center’s exterior and markers. Trump’s team quickly asked for a stay on the ruling, but that was denied in mid-June.
Photos from news outlets show that Trump’s name has already been stripped from the Kennedy Center’s facade, though tarps still cover the area, and scaffolding remains in place. Some media reports suggest this is to keep things ready depending on how the appeal turns out.
On July 8, Beatty released a statement saying the appeals court’s decision once again confirms the Trump administration’s attempt to rename the Kennedy Center was “illegal.”