Trump’s Name Must Stay Off Kennedy Center, Judge Rules, tell me about this news in (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/arts/music/trumps-name-must-stay-off-kennedy-center-judge-rules.html)

On September 15, 2026, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that Donald Trump’s name cannot be placed on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, blocking an effort by the center’s board of trustees to recognize Trump on the building or campus.Key Details of the Ruling

• The Injunction: Judge Cooper issued an injunction prohibiting the board from inscribing phrases such as “renovated and restored by Donald J. Trump” on the main exterior or renaming the grounds the “President Donald J. Trump Plaza”. CBS News
• Statutory Authority: The judge ruled that the board has no legal authority to install memorials or rename sections of the institution without explicit approval from Congress. Cooper wrote: “Simply put, Defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing. The board resolution bucks a federal court order and a statute Congress enacted”. Forbes+ 1
• The Lawsuit: The ruling stems from a legal challenge brought by Representative Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex officio member of the board, who argued that attempts to alter the branding and naming of the landmark violate federal statutes establishing the venue as the sole national memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Courthouse News

BackgroundThis decision follows a previous ruling in May 2026 by Judge Cooper, in which he ordered the removal of lettering displaying Trump’s name from the center’s exterior portico after the board unilaterally altered the signage. While the board subsequently considered alternate resolutions to tie Trump’s name to renovation and fundraising efforts, the court determined that any such modification remains unlawful without congressional legislation. Courthouse News+ 1