WASHINGTON — A federal judge denied a request by the Kennedy Center board to pause a court order requiring the removal of President Donald Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center building, clearing the way for signage to be taken down, according to court proceedings on Friday.
The ruling upholds an earlier order issued by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who found that the board’s decision to rename the building was not authorized and said only Congress has the legal authority to change the facility’s name.
Under Cooper’s order, the Kennedy Center board was required to remove the signage by Friday, June 12.
Following the latest ruling, crews began preparing to remove Trump’s name from the building’s exterior, according to officials familiar with the process.
The dispute began after the Kennedy Center board, reshaped last year following appointments made by Trump, voted in December to rename the facility to include his name. Work on exterior signage began shortly after that vote.
The board had sought to pause enforcement of the removal order while it considers further legal action, but the request was denied.
Court filings and reports from The Associated Press said the Kennedy Center had already removed references to Trump’s name from internal materials, including letterhead and email signatures.
The board may still appeal the judge’s May ruling.
