The Trump administration has argued in a court filing that its plan to restore President Donald Trump's name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts does not violate a federal judge's May order. The administration claims the new inscription acknowledges Trump's role as a renovator, not a renaming.
The case highlights ongoing legal and political battles over the use of presidential names on federal institutions and the interpretation of court orders regarding historical memorials.
The Trump administration is arguing in a court filing that its latest plan to add President Donald Trump's name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts does not violate a federal judge's order. The administration urged U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper to reject a new legal challenge brought by Representative Joyce Beatty, a Democratic board member.
This dispute centers on whether the Trump-appointed board can add the president's name to a venue designated by Congress as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy. In May, Judge Cooper ruled that only Congress has the authority to change the center's name, ordering Trump's name removed from the facade.
Last week, Beatty asked Cooper to halt the administration's new plan, which involves altering the building's signage to read "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump," and naming the grounds "President Donald J. Trump Plaza." The administration contends this new inscription merely acknowledges Trump's role as a renovator and does not constitute a renaming, thus not violating the injunction.
Beatty's lawyer, Nathaniel Zelinsky, called the administration's filing "legally baseless." A hearing is scheduled for Thursday where Cooper will consider Beatty's request to block the move.