The name of President Donald Trump has been removed from the front of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., following a court order to restore the original name. The court stated that renaming the venue requires approval solely from Congress. Meanwhile, the public gathered to watch the removal, hailing it as a major victory in protecting the honor of former President John F. Kennedy.
Workers have completed removing President Donald Trump's name from the front of the Kennedy Center, a leading U.S. performing arts venue in Washington, D.C. This marks the latest defeat for the Republican leader's attempt to override political norms by imprinting his name and image on public spaces.
Matt Folga, the executive director of the arts center, submitted documents to the court confirming that all physical signage bearing Trump's name has been removed from the building and surrounding areas, ending a prolonged legal battle.
The controversy began after Donald Trump returned to the White House for another term and used his authority to appoint himself chairman of the arts center, installing loyalists on the governing board to secure his position.
In December, the board voted to rename the site "The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts," prominently adding Trump's name above Kennedy's. This move sparked public outrage, leading to boycotts and a sharp drop in ticket sales for performances.
Trump also attempted to rename other major landmarks in the capital, such as the U.S. Institute of Peace, and ordered the installation of large portraits of himself on the Justice and Agriculture Department buildings.
Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty filed a lawsuit opposing the name change. On 29 May 2024 GMT+7, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled the renaming illegal, stating the Kennedy Center was established in 1971 as a memorial to the assassinated President John F. Kennedy and that only Congress has the legal authority to rename it.
The court set a deadline for the government to remove Trump's name by 23:59 on Friday. The Justice Department appealed, seeking to delay the removal, claiming it would cause "irreparable harm" if the government later won the appeal. However, both the district and appellate courts rejected the government's requests.
Originally, the scaffolding and removal operation were to be completed Friday night but were delayed by severe thunderstorms posing hazards to workers. Matt Folga requested a 12-hour extension. Workers began removing the canvas covering and letters spelling Trump's name around 03:10 on Saturday, completing the task in about 30 minutes.
Throughout the night and into the morning, many Washington residents gathered to witness the removal, with tens of thousands watching via live stream. Elis Serbaroli, 42, one of the onlookers, said, "I was heartbroken when I saw his name put up there, and today's removal is a huge victory."
Another attendee stated, "Some may see this as just a small sign, but the truth is, we cannot allow anyone to steal the honor that Congress gave this beautiful building to commemorate John F. Kennedy. The name of this former president deserves protection."
Besides the signage issue, Judge Cooper also temporarily blocked Trump's plan to close the Kennedy Center for two years of renovations starting this July. This was part of a larger plan to reshape downtown Washington, including an extension of the White House's east wing, which Trump had ordered demolished late last year.
Media reports indicate that the White House and Kennedy Center representatives declined to comment further on the matter. However, the arts center's website had already removed Donald Trump's name earlier in the week.
. . .Reuters/ AFP