Why can't Trump add his name to the Kennedy Center or close it for renovations? Here's what Judge Christopher Cooper said

Kennedy Center ruling explained: A federal judge on Friday ruled that US president Donald Trump cannot add his name to the Kennedy Center, saying only Congress has the authority to change the name of the Washington, D.C., cultural institution.

Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Renaming Kennedy Center to Trump Kennedy Center

US District Judge Christopher Cooper also temporarily stopped plans to close the Kennedy Center for two years for renovations, a move that had been backed by Trump, as per a report.

The ruling follows changes made late last year after the Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees voted in December to rename the institution the “Trump Kennedy Center.” The decision came about 10 months after Trump removed several trustees from the board and appointed himself as a trustee.


Following the board’s vote, the Kennedy Center’s facade and signage around the facility were updated to reflect the new name.

Judge Christopher Cooper Says Congress Controls Kennedy Center’s Name

In his order, Cooper said the Kennedy Center’s founding law clearly states that the institution is meant to honor President John Kennedy and that the board does not have the authority to formally rename it on its own, as per a CNBC report.

Cooper wrote, “The Kennedy Center’s organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President [John] Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board’s unilateral say-so,” adding, “Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it,” as quoted by CNBC.

Renovation Closure Also Temporarily Blocked

Cooper also blocked the planned two-year closure of the Kennedy Center for renovations, saying the Board of Trustees failed to properly balance its obligations to the institution before making the decision.

However, the judge noted that the board could still potentially move forward with closure plans in the future if it independently reviews and balances its responsibilities more carefully.

Lawsuit Filed by Rep. Joyce Beatty

The ruling came after a lawsuit was filed by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and ex officio member of the Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees.

Beatty challenged both the renaming decision and the removal of voting rights from ex officio trustees. Those voting rights were stripped in May 2025.

Judge Cooper ruled in Beatty’s favor and ordered that her trustee voting rights be restored.

Judge Restores Voting Rights for Ex Officio Trustees

In his decision, Cooper said the Kennedy Center’s governing law does not separate the authority of regular trustees from ex officio trustees.

He wrote that nothing in the statute allows the board to broadly deny voting rights to ex officio members.

The judge also stated that removing those rights conflicts with common-law trust principles that generally place trustees on equal footing when participating in the administration of the institution.

FAQs

What did the federal judge rule about the Kennedy Center?
The judge ruled that President Donald Trump cannot add his name to the Kennedy Center because only Congress can change the institution’s name.

Why was the Kennedy Center renamed?
The Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees voted in December to rename it the “Trump Kennedy Center.”