Washington, May 30: A U.S. District Judge has ruled that the inclusion of former President Donald Trump’s name at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was unlawful. The judge has ordered that Trump’s name be removed within two weeks.
According to Xinhua, Judge Christopher Cooper of the federal district court in Washington stated in his order that Congress mandated the center to be the “sole national memorial” for the 35th President, John F. Kennedy.
The judge noted that the board of trustees of the Kennedy Center violated its authority by changing the center’s name to include Trump.
Cooper emphasized, “The original charter of the Kennedy Center clearly states that the center should be named after President Kennedy, and it cannot be given any other formal name or public memorial based solely on the board’s unilateral decision. Congress named the Kennedy Center, and only Congress can change it.”
The judge also temporarily halted the Trump administration’s decision to close the Kennedy Center for two years. He stated that the board’s decision to cease operations was based on “insufficient and unilateral presentation of information” and did not consider the potential adverse effects on its statutory obligations and programs.
Cooper remarked, “The initial injunction will not prevent the center from proceeding with necessary capital repairs, which are clearly needed. It will not completely stop the board from closing the center if it reaches this decision after prudently balancing its various obligations.”
Notably, since taking office for a second time, Trump has played a very active role at the Kennedy Center, appointing himself as the board chair after removing previous leadership.
In December, the board voted to rename the venue to “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” This decision faced widespread criticism from both the public and political leaders, with several prominent artists canceling their performances at the Kennedy Center.
Trump announced in February that entertainment activities at the Kennedy Center would be suspended for nearly two years starting in July for construction work.
The Kennedy Center is widely regarded as the national cultural center of the United States, hosting world-class performances in music, opera, theater, dance, and other art forms.
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