Key facts
- Judge Christopher Cooper ordered Trump's name removed from the Kennedy Center.
- Cooper ruled only Congress can change the institution's name.
- Trump alleged conflict of interest due to his wife, Amy Jeffress.
- Jeffress has represented former FBI lawyer Lisa Page.
- Jeffress also served as outside counsel to the Jan. 6 committee.
- Jeffress currently represents Joe Biden in a lawsuit regarding classified documents.
U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper ordered that President Donald Trump's name be removed from the Kennedy Center, ruling on May 29 that only Congress has the authority to change the institution's name. Trump responded by alleging a conflict of interest, citing his wife, Amy Jeffress. Trump claimed on Truth Social that Jeffress, an attorney who has represented prominent Trump critics, influenced her husband's decision. Jeffress' past clients include former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, who was involved in the 'Crossfire Hurricane' investigation and sent anti-Trump text messages. Jeffress also represented Page in a civil lawsuit against the FBI and Justice Department. Additionally, Jeffress served as outside counsel to the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th Capitol riot and currently represents Joe Biden in a lawsuit concerning classified documents. Trump characterized Jeffress as a 'Radical Left Democrat' and stated that Cooper has a 'total Conflict of Interest' due to these associations. Cooper, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014, previously faced scrutiny during the Michael Sussmann trial, where critics argued he should have recused himself due to his wife's representation of Lisa Page. Cooper and Jeffress have been married since 1999, and their wedding was officiated by Merrick Garland, then a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Trump also alleged Jeffress "doesn't use the 'Cooper' name because they, as a couple, don't want people to know that she has a Conflict of Interest with an important Judge." The president pointed to Jeffress' professional background, which included serving as a counselor to Attorney General Eric Holder during the Obama administration. Trump and his allies have accused the Obama administration of politicizing intelligence about Russian interference in the 2016 election and promoting allegations of ties between Trump's campaign and the Kremlin. The FBI named its investigation into Russia's alleged ties to Trump's campaign Crossfire Hurricane. Years later, Jeffress served as outside counsel to the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, advising members on legal issues involving evidence, witness testimony and executive privilege claims. The committee examined the causes of the riot, efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and Trump's actions leading up to the attack. The president also pointed to Jeffress' law firm, Hecker Fink LLP, formerly known as Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, which represented E. Jean Carroll in her civil lawsuit against him. Since July 2025, Jeffress has served as Biden's personal attorney and is representing the former president in a lawsuit seeking to block the Justice Department from releasing transcripts and audio recordings of Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated the handling of classified documents.