The board of trustees at the Kennedy Center has filed an emergency request to delay a federal court order requiring the removal of President Donald Trump's name from the iconic Washington performing arts facility, according to a person familiar with the Thursday vote.
The formal stay request was filed late Thursday, just one day before the Friday deadline imposed by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper. The judge ruled on May 29 that Trump's name was illegally added to the Kennedy Center and that only Congress possesses the authority to institute such a change to the facility's official designation.
The board's decision represents a reversal from earlier compliance efforts. A June 4 memorandum from the Kennedy Center's Office of General Counsel had instructed staff to use email signatures, letterhead, and other documents reflecting the name as "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts" or "Kennedy Center." The institution's website subsequently removed references to the president's name, and recent communications to members, including an email promoting the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor ceremony, omitted Trump's name entirely.
Judge Cooper's ruling extended beyond the naming dispute. The court also blocked the administration from proceeding with a planned closure of the cultural venue for major renovations scheduled to begin in July and continue for two years.
Legal representatives for the plaintiff in the case responded sharply to the board's eleventh-hour maneuver. Norm Eisen, a board member at Democracy Defenders Action, and Nathaniel Zelinsky, senior counsel at the Washington Litigation Group, characterized the timing as evidence of desperation. The attorneys represent Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio member of the Kennedy Center's board who initiated the lawsuit seeking removal of Trump's name from the institution.
"The Trump administration's 11th hour gambit after waiting nearly two weeks evinces desperation," Eisen and Zelinsky said in a statement. "That is what they should be feeling because they don't have a legal leg to stand on. We will be vigorously contesting this latest ploy as we have throughout the case on behalf of Congresswoman Beatty and the American people."
The controversy stems from actions taken early in Trump's second term. After largely disregarding the Kennedy Center during his first administration, the president moved swiftly upon his return to office. Within a month, he removed the center's previous leadership and installed a hand-picked board of trustees that designated him as chairman. Richard Grenell was brought in to serve as president, a position he held until March when Matt Floca assumed the role.
The new leadership announced the facility would be renamed the Trump Kennedy Center and physically affixed the president's name to the building's facade. Legal scholars and lawmakers have maintained that such a change requires congressional authorization.
The renaming triggered significant backlash from the arts community. Actor Issa Rae, musician Bela Fleck, and author Louise Penny were among numerous artists who withdrew from scheduled appearances. Consultants including musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming resigned their positions. Earlier this month, Jean Davidson, the executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, departed to lead the Los Angeles-based Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
The programming at the Kennedy Center has shifted under the new leadership to include more Trump-friendly events, serving as the venue for occasions such as the premiere of first lady Melania Trump's documentary, "Melania."
In addition to voting on the stay request Thursday, the board approved a resolution recognizing Trump's "commitment to uphold this cherished American institution." The outcome of the stay request will determine whether the president's name remains on the building past the Friday deadline while legal proceedings continue.
