US judge questions the push to add Trump’s name back to the Kennedy Center

What the report says

A US federal judge has pressed the Trump administration and the Kennedy Center’s leadership over their effort to restore Donald Trump’s name to the Washington, DC performing arts venue. In a hearing on Thursday, US District Court Judge Christopher Cooper questioned why the center said it had to begin applying the name by Sept. 8, saying the date appeared tied to a board vote rather than to what Congress authorized.

According to Al Jazeera, the Kennedy Center board — reshaped with Trump supporters and chaired by Trump after his appointments — voted earlier this month to revive the naming push. The plan would add the wording “Restored and Renovated By President Donald J Trump” to the building’s facade and rename the plaza outside the venue as well. The administration has also argued that the center could face serious deterioration without the board’s renovation plans, while the judge said the court was not blocking needed repairs.

The dispute is part of a broader legal fight over Trump’s attempts to alter prominent federal and civic landmarks in Washington. Earlier this year, Cooper ruled that adding Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center was not lawful and said Congress alone could authorize such a change. The case was brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Kennedy Center trustee from Ohio, who says the board’s latest actions amount to defiance of the court. The Kennedy Center itself was established by Congress as a memorial to John F. Kennedy, which adds to the legal sensitivity of any renaming effort.