An American judge today decided that Donald Trump's name cannot be replaced at the Kennedy Center, the important cultural center of the American capital, because it would violate a previous judicial decision.
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15/09/2026
by
Lusa
“ Athrough this decision, the inscription ‘Reformed and restored by Donald Trump’ in the main building is prohibited (...). In simple terms, the defense cannot install any reference to President Trump (...) at the Kennedy Center without the approval of Congress”, wrote Judge Christopher Cooper in the decision made after a hearing.
Donald Trump's name had been placed alongside the name of former Democratic President John F. Kennedy on the facade of the imposing building in December 2025.
However, by the end of May, the same magistrate had ordered the Kennedy Center board of directors, composed mostly of Donald Trump’s allies since he reformulated it shortly after returning to the White House in early 2025, to remove, within two weeks, any reference “to President Trump or any individual other than President Kennedy” in the building itself, the Kennedy Center site or its registered marks.
The Kennedy Center had informed us that it carried out the order in June.
But the board of directors resumed the initiative during the summer with a new project to honor, through an inscription in the building, Donald Trump's commitment to the renewal of the cultural institution.
This new judicial decision takes place on the same day as the Board of Directors will have to rule on a possible immediate closure of the site for a period of two years, alleging the precarious situation of its finances and the building.
“The Kennedy Center is practically in ruins, and that has been for many years,” Donald Trump said on Tuesday on his social networking platform, Truth Social.
In his May decision, Judge Cooper also provisionally suspended the closure of the site for two years, considering that the House had fulfilled its “should of caution” by not taking into account the negative consequences of this closure.
However, it authorized the continuation of the repairs provided for in the Kennedy Center, which was clearly necessary, and clarified that it would not oppose a new closure decision if it were taken after further evaluation.