Trump Name Removal From Kennedy Center Stands During Appeal

A U.S. appeals court ruled on Tuesday that the name "Trump" will remain removed from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' facade and signage while a legal battle over its reinstatement continues. The decision upholds a lower court's order from last month that mandated the removal of the former president's name. The Kennedy Center had initially removed the signage and facade lettering in response to the initial ruling.

The legal dispute centers on a 2019 agreement between the Trump Organization and the Kennedy Center. The agreement allowed the Trump Organization to place the former president's name on the building in exchange for a $10 million donation. However, following the January 6th Capitol attack and subsequent political events, the Kennedy Center's board voted in July 2021 to terminate the agreement and remove the name.

The Trump Organization subsequently sued, arguing that the Kennedy Center breached the contract. In March 2024, a federal judge ruled in favor of the Kennedy Center, stating that the organization had the right to terminate the agreement. The judge's order for the removal of the name was then implemented last month.

This latest ruling from the appeals court means that the name "Trump" will not be restored to the building during the ongoing appeal process initiated by the Trump Organization. The court did not provide a timeline for when the full appeal would be heard, but the immediate effect is the continued absence of the name from the prominent Washington D.C. landmark.