The Kennedy Center's board of trustees voted on Thursday to challenge a federal judge's order requiring the removal of President Donald Trump's name from the performing arts center, according to sources familiar with the decision. The vote came less than 36 hours before the court-imposed deadline to take down the name.
The board's decision to appeal the order was confirmed by multiple news outlets on June 11, 2026. The judge's ruling, issued earlier this week, stemmed from a lawsuit arguing that the naming violated the center's nonpartisan mission. The Kennedy Center, a national cultural institution in Washington, D.C., had previously added Trump's name to its facade in 2020.
As of June 12, 2026, the deadline for compliance has not passed, and the board's legal team is expected to file an emergency motion to stay the order pending appeal. The center's leadership has not publicly commented on the specifics of the appeal strategy.
