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All references to Donald Trump<\/a> have been removed from the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.<\/p>\n In December last year,\u00a0the Trump-appointed board of the arts venue voted to rename the institution to the \u2018Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts\u2019<\/a>, or the \u2018Trump-Kennedy Center\u2019\u00a0in\u00a0short.<\/p>\n Work began to remove all references to the president earlier this month<\/a>, and now it is reportedly complete.\u00a0Matt Floca, executive director and chief operating officer of the performing arts venue, told a federal court yesterday (June 13) that the institution had complied with the aforementioned order to remove Trump\u2019s name.<\/p>\n In a filing, Floca said the board of trustees and the center had removed \u201call physical signage on the Kennedy Center building and grounds, including the front portico, that purports to rename the Kennedy Center after President Trump\u201d.<\/p>\n However, onlookers hoping to witness the moment were disappointed, as the building remains covered in tarp, per a report from Billboard<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n The Kennedy Center\u2019s name sign is still blocked by tarps and surrounded by security guards more than 12 hours after President Donald Trump\u2019s name was removed from the building.<\/p>\n Just a handful of journalists and passersby waiting for the tarps to come down. pic.twitter.com\/P3KCZGvYTs<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Jonathan Edwards (@jonathanreports) June 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Those on the left have been celebrating the removal of Trump\u2019s name.\u00a0Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex member of the board who sued to remove references to the president from the building and the center\u2019s operations, posted a video of her doing a \u201cTrump dance\u201d on social media in one of the Kennedy Center\u2019s great halls.<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s victory is the beginning of returning the Kennedy Center to the American people,\u201d Beatty said in a statement. \u201cThe rule of law prevailed, and that is worth celebrating.\u201d<\/p>\n At the time of the order, Trump reacted angrily, writing on social media that he would be \u201cworking with Congress to transfer this failing institution back to them\u201d, and added that the \u201cradical left would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it into something that everyone could be proud of\u201d.<\/p>\n A memo was soon sent to staff at the institution directing employees to stop using Trump\u2019s name in reference to the Kennedy Center on any formal communications or press materials. A deadline of June 12 was set to update all physical and digital signage too, with the letters in Trump\u2019s name being removed from the exterior of the building.<\/p>\n Also earlier this month, the Trump administration\u2019s lawsuit against a jazz musician who cancelled his annual Christmas concert at the Kennedy Center<\/a>\u00a0in the aftermath of the name change was dismissed.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n The venue\u2019s president Richard Grenell had strongly\u00a0criticised\u00a0Chuck Redd\u2019s decision and demanded $1million in damages for what he described as a \u201cpolitical stunt\u201d,\u00a0but on Friday (June 5), a judge ruled in Redd\u2019s\u00a0favour, citing Anti-SLAPP laws that protect defendants against meritless lawsuits and \u201cpolitical\u00a0retribution\u201d.<\/p>\n Ben Folds also wrote an open letter this week to rally\u00a0support for\u00a0the National Symphony Orchestra<\/a>, who\u00a0are\u00a0based at the Kennedy Center. Folds resigned as the NSO\u2019s artistic advisor in the light of Trump\u2019s\u00a0takeover, but\u00a0has now said the orchestra \u201cdoesn\u2019t have the luxury of time\u201d to get back on its feet.<\/p>\n\n
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