RismadarVoice Reporters
August 27, 2026
The board of the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts has voted to recognise US President Donald Trump by placing his name on the building and its grounds as part of a proposed renovation project, despite an ongoing legal dispute over the move.
The development came on Thursday as a federal judge postponed a decision on whether Trump should be permanently prevented from having his name displayed on the Kennedy Centre.
US District Judge Christopher Cooper said during a hearing that he would allow both sides to present additional evidence and arguments before making a final decision.
The judge, however, declined to extend his earlier order blocking the addition of Trump’s name to the centre’s official name.
The development followed a decision by the Kennedy Centre board, made up largely of Trump appointees and allies, to pursue a two-year renovation project estimated to cost about $280 million.
The board had earlier voted to rename the building “The John F. Kennedy Memorial Centre for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump.”
It also voted to name the grounds surrounding the facility “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.”
The proposed changes have triggered a legal battle involving Democratic US Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio, who sits on the Kennedy Centre board.
Beatty’s legal team has argued that the board’s decision amounts to defiance of an earlier court order concerning Trump’s name on the building.
Judge Cooper previously ordered Trump’s name removed from the centre’s façade on June 13, citing the 1964 law that established the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts.
The front of the building remains covered by scaffolding and a tarp following the removal of Trump’s name.
During Thursday’s hearing, the Justice Department argued that the Kennedy Centre was facing serious structural and financial problems and that Trump’s fundraising efforts were necessary to complete the renovation.
Government lawyers said the project could not be completed without Trump’s involvement and recognition for his fundraising efforts.
The federal government has also argued that the centre could deteriorate further without the proposed renovation, potentially forcing authorities to consider demolishing the existing structure and replacing it with an outdoor amphitheatre.
The Kennedy Centre board had estimated that a four-year renovation would cost about $580 million, compared with $280 million for the proposed two-year project.
Congress has already appropriated $257 million for the renovation.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who attended the court hearing, said parts of the centre’s parking garage had reportedly suffered structural deterioration, including concrete falling from the ceiling.
Lutnick said Trump was seeking to raise as much as $500 million to establish an endowment for the Kennedy Centre and help cover its operating expenses.
Under the proposed recognition plan, if Trump’s fundraising reaches $100 million, the building’s façade could carry the longer inscription crediting him with its restoration and renovation.
The dispute over Trump’s name is separate from the board’s plans to temporarily close the centre for construction.
Judge Cooper had previously blocked the administration from closing the venue for the renovation, ruling that the board’s decision to shut the facility was made too quickly.
The centre has said performances by the National Symphony Orchestra, the Kennedy Centre Honours and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour would be held at other venues during the proposed closure.
During Thursday’s hearing, Cooper indicated that he was not prepared to make a final ruling immediately, saying the matter involved several statutory considerations.
The judge also suggested that the government could extend its proposed deadline for putting Trump’s name on the facility to allow more time for the court proceedings.
The legal battle is expected to continue as both sides present further arguments over whether the Kennedy Centre board has the authority to place Trump’s name on the building and its grounds.
