Trump's name removed from Kennedy Center wall in Washington

Donald Trump's name was removed from the wall of the Kennedy Center in Washington, which had been affixed less than six months ago. A judge ruled that the US's premier performing arts center cannot be renamed without congressional approval.

US President Donald Trump's name was removed overnight on Saturday, 14 June 2026, from the wall of the Kennedy arts center in Washington. The name had been affixed less than six months earlier, when the center's board decided to rename the facility after the president.

However, a judge ruled that one of the US's most important performing arts centers and a symbol of cultural life cannot be renamed without the approval of Congress. In the judge's view, the board exceeded its authority, as such a decision requires the involvement of the legislative body.

The Kennedy Center is named after the 35th US president, John F. Kennedy, and the facility is considered one of the most important cultural centers in the entire country. Opera, ballet, theater and music performances take place there, and for years it has been at the heart of American cultural life in the capital.