Judge questions Kennedy Center's haste to restore Trump's name

U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper expressed skepticism on Thursday regarding the Kennedy Center's plan to reinstate President Donald Trump's name on the building by early September. Cooper questioned the urgency of the Sept. 8 deadline, asking why the inscription was necessary so quickly, especially in light of his previous ruling in May that the initial addition of Trump's name was illegal.

During a nearly two-hour hearing, Trump administration lawyer Bradley Mayers argued that the timeline was set by a vote of the Trump-aligned board and that renovations at the center required such recognition. However, Judge Cooper pressed Mayers on the legal basis for the move, inquiring about congressional intent behind relevant statutes. The board had voted to inscribe "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump" and potentially add a second inscription if a $100 million endowment fund was reached.

Mayers contended that these actions constituted a recognition of Trump, not a renaming of the institution. The judge also considered whether he had the authority to block these moves, given that the administration is appealing his earlier ruling. Nathaniel Zelinsky, a lawyer for Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex officio board member opposing the inscriptions, warned that inaction could render the prior court order unenforceable.

Administration lawyers had previously suggested that without recognition of the president, the Kennedy Center might struggle to raise funds for renovations, potentially leading to demolition. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, however, downplayed the immediate prospect of demolition, stating that "bad things happen" if nothing is done, but not imminently.