Trump's name removed from the Kennedy Center building following court-ordered deadline

By — Steven Sloan, Associated Press Steven Sloan, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/trumps-name-removed-from-the-kennedy-center-building-following-court-ordered-deadline Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Trump's name removed from the Kennedy Center building following court-ordered deadline Nation Jun 13, 2026 11:32 AM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The curtain started to come down for President Donald Trump at the Kennedy Center on Saturday. After a day of legal maneuvers and thunderstorms, workers began the process in the early morning hours of removing the letters spelling out the Republican president's name from the facade of the iconic performing arts venue. They were a few hours past a court-ordered deadline and did their work shrouded by a tarp, much to the frustration of onlookers who had gathered for hours hoping to witness a dramatic moment symbolizing the limits of Trump's power. As the sun rose over Washington, the tarp remained in place, leaving it impossible to determine whether all the letters had been removed. Shortly after midnight, the Kennedy Center asked a judge to extend the deadline until noon EDT, citing the storms for delaying the work. The court agreed to that request Saturday morning. WATCH: Judge says Kennedy Center must remove Trump's name by Friday deadline The removal of Trump's name closes one of the more unusual chapters in the history of the Kennedy Center, which began construction in 1964 and was dedicated to the memory of the slain president, Democrat John F. Kennedy. At what is typically one of the few relatively nonpartisan spaces in Washington, Trump has wielded tremendous influence over the venue during his second term. Though he rarely discussed the Kennedy Center during his 2024 campaign, Trump moved quickly to oust the institution's leadership when he returned to office in January 2025 and replaced it with a board of trustees that named him chairman. His name was quickly added to the building. While the removal of his name marks a setback for Trump, he is moving forward with plans to reshape the physical landscape of the nation's capital in ways that have few modern parallels. WATCH LIVE: Scaffolding goes up at Kennedy Center ahead of deadline to remove Trump's name He demolished the East Wing of the White House and is building a controversial ballroom in its place. He remodeled the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and plans extensive renovations of a golf course in East Potomac Park, moves that could significantly reduce the public's access to running and biking paths. He is also moving forward with a triumphal arch that will sit near Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River in Virginia. Indeed as Trump's name is being removed from the Kennedy Center, the South Lawn of the White House has been transformed into a venue for a UFC match intended to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independenc