Judge blocks Kennedy Center board from adding Trump’s name, venue to close

Judge Christopher Cooper blocks Trump naming proposal

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper issued a written order on Tuesday, September 15 2026, reaffirming his May decision: the Kennedy Center cannot display President Donald J. Trump’s name on its façade or rename any part of the grounds without explicit congressional authorization.

"Simply put, Defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing."

Judge Christopher Cooper, U.S. District Judge, via NPR

Cooper cited the congressional mandate that created the John F. Kennedy Center as a living memorial to the late president, underscoring that any alteration to its name must come from Congress, not a board resolution.

Board votes to close Kennedy Center for two years

Within an hour of Cooper’s order, the Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees convened and voted to close the performing‑arts venue “immediately” and keep it shuttered for the next two years to undertake extensive renovations.

The board’s resolution, approved by a majority of members appointed by President Trump, framed the shutdown as a public‑safety measure. Administrators warned that the main building’s ceiling had partially collapsed earlier in the month and that the center’s finances were “within weeks” of bankruptcy.

Trump, who serves as the center’s chairman, posted on Truth Social that the closure was necessary “for safety reasons” and that renovation could not begin until the D.C. Circuit rules on the name issue.

"The closing will take place immediately," he wrote, "however the Renovation and Reconstruction, which is a very large and complex job, cannot begin until such time as the D.C. Circuit rules on the Board's approved name."

Donald J. Trump, Chairman of the Kennedy Center Board, via CBC

Financial pressures drive the naming dispute

Board members argue that President Trump’s branding is essential to secure the capital needed for a $100 million “Trump Kennedy Center Fund.” If the target were met, the board plans to add a plaque reading “Endowed by the Trump Kennedy Center Fund.”

Trump has publicly pledged $17 million to keep the center afloat, a figure he highlighted as proof of his fundraising capacity.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, the Ohio Democrat who sued to stop the naming effort, reiterated that the law is “extremely clear” that the center is dedicated solely to President John F. Kennedy.

"The law is extremely clear: The John F. Kennedy Center is named for President Kennedy – and no one else."

Joyce Beatty, U.S. Representative, via NPR

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, whose wife sits on the board, likened the proposed naming to donor‑recognition practices at hospitals and universities.

Timeline of legal and board actions

Disputed safety claims and artistic fallout

The board cites the recent ceiling collapse as evidence that the building is unsafe for occupants. Insiders close to the institution dispute the severity of the damage, and a number of artists have withdrawn from scheduled performances, citing the politicized atmosphere.

Ticket sales have reportedly plummeted since the naming controversy began, and the center’s administration warned that payroll and routine‑maintenance contracts could not be met “within a matter of weeks.”

The next procedural step will be a request for an expedited appeal to the D.C. Circuit Court, which Trump has said the Department of Justice will pursue. If that appeal is denied, the board’s plan to rename the building and launch the $100 million fundraising drive remains on hold, leaving the center’s future, both physically and financially, in limbo.