Kennedy Center Board Votes to Inscribe Trump's Name, Close for Renovations

The Kennedy Center board voted Thursday to add President Donald J. Trump's name to the building's facade and close the center for two years for renovations.

The approved inscription will read: "Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump." This decision marks a second attempt to place the president's name on the building, following a May ruling by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper. Judge Cooper had ordered the removal of Trump's name and blocked a previous plan to close the center until 2028, stating that renaming the center violated federal law.

Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, a board member, called the latest vote a transparent effort to circumvent the Court's ruling. Beatty's attorneys, Norm Eisen and Nathaniel Zelinsky, stated the court already ruled against the board and that defendants must answer for their actions again in court. The proposal to add Trump's name was not on the formal agenda for the meeting and was raised toward the end, prompting complaints from Democratic board members that it was not presented in writing before the vote.

The board, largely composed of Trump's allies, voted 20-3 to adopt the resolution. The three dissenting votes came from ex officio members of Congress: Rep. Joyce Beatty, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, and Rep. Rick Larsen. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick proposed the name change, and President Trump joined the virtual board meeting for several minutes. The physical site will also be renamed "President Donald J. Trump Plaza."

The center has faced an institutional crisis since February 2025, when Trump fired its board, appointed himself chairman, and selected Richard Grenell as acting director. The venue has since lost audiences, high-profile shows, and artists.