Key facts
- The Kennedy Center board voted to add "Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump" to the venue's facade.
- The board also voted to proceed with a two-year closure for renovations.
- A federal judge had previously ruled the renaming unlawful without congressional approval.
- The judge ordered the removal of Trump's name, which was completed last month.
- Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty criticized the move as an effort to circumvent a court ruling.
The board of the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., composed largely of Donald Trump allies, has again voted to add his name to the performance arts venue and proceed with a two-year closure for renovations. This decision follows a previous vote by the same board and a federal judge's ruling in late May that the renaming was unlawful without congressional approval. Judge Christopher Cooper ordered the name removed, which occurred last month, though an appeals court declined to immediately intervene. Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, a board member, condemned the latest vote as an attempt to circumvent the court's order and statutory requirements. A White House spokesperson stated that under Trump's leadership, the Kennedy Center is becoming a premier cultural institution. The case originated from broader legal disputes over renaming the institution, which is legally designated as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy.