Kennedy Center board votes to restore Trump name

The board of trustees at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has reportedly voted to move forward with restoring President Donald Trump's name to the Washington venue, reviving a contentious effort that had been blocked earlier this year by a federal judge.

According to The New York Times and The Washington Post, which cited unnamed sources with knowledge of the proceedings, the board approved adding the inscription "Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump" to the building. The reports said the inscription would be placed directly below the main signage.

It was not immediately clear how the move would comply with a federal judge's order in May that Trump's name be removed from the facade, as only Congress can change it.

In mid-June, the center's Executive Director Matt Floca said it had "removed all physical signage on the Kennedy Center building and grounds" containing Trump's name. A tarp has remained over the facade since that time, raising questions about what changes were actually made.

The board also voted on Thursday to close the center's main building for two years for renovations. The work is to cover the venue's heating and cooling, electrical and fire safety systems, with completion scheduled by summer 2028. A judge had also blocked that plan, but said it could be reconsidered after further review.

The Kennedy Center did not immediately reply to AFP's request for comment on the board's proceedings.

The latest vote follows a broader push by Trump since returning to the White House in January 2025 to place his name and image on public institutions. The Kennedy Center's board had initially voted in December to rename the venue as "The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts."

Trump's name was then added to the facade in large letters above Kennedy's, a move that the article said prompted canceled shows and a drop in ticket sales for remaining events.

The source article also said other Washington institutions have been renamed or rebranded in Trump's image, including the now-defunct US Institute of Peace. Huge banners bearing his face have also been hung outside the Justice and Agriculture Departments, while his image appears on a limited edition US passport. In Florida, the airport in West Palm Beach is now named for him.

Read the source