Workers started removing President Donald Trump’s name from the exterior of the Kennedy Center early on Saturday after the venue missed a court-ordered deadline and sought extra time to complete the work.

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The move followed a federal judge’s order requiring the historic performing arts institution to remove Trump’s name from its building and related materials. The center had been required to certify compliance by 11:59 p.m. on Friday but later informed the court that severe weather had delayed the process.

Deadline Missed After Storm Delays

Attorneys from the Justice Department, representing the Kennedy Center, said late Friday that thunderstorms in the Washington area had slowed progress. They told the court that crews expected to finish removing the signage during the early hours of Saturday.

US District Judge Casey Cooper had set the Friday night deadline. As of early Saturday, the judge had not publicly responded to the center’s request for additional time.

Workers spent Friday assembling scaffolding beneath the building’s exterior signage. Shortly before 2 a.m. on Saturday, crews appeared to enclose the structure with protective covering, limiting public visibility of the work. Video recorded through a gap in the covering later appeared to show workers taking down letters from the sign.

A crowd gathered nearby during the overnight operation, with some people chanting “Shame!” as work continued.

Appeals Court Rejects Last-Minute Request

Earlier on Friday, a federal appeals court declined to halt Cooper’s ruling, rejecting a last-minute effort by the Kennedy Center to delay compliance while the broader legal dispute continues.

The brief, unsigned decision did not provide a detailed explanation. The three-judge panel included Judge Gregory Katsas, appointed by Trump, along with Judges Patricia Millett and Robert Wilkins, both appointed by former President Barack Obama.

While refusing to pause the ruling, the appeals court requested additional legal submissions later this month regarding the center’s effort to suspend the lower court’s order. Until then, the Kennedy Center must continue complying with the judge’s directive.

The ruling requires Trump’s name to be removed not only from the building but also from the center’s website, promotional materials and other affiliated locations.

Donation Concerns Raised

In court filings, Justice Department lawyers argued that restoring the center’s previous name could create confusion if the government ultimately succeeds in overturning the ruling.

They also warned that compliance could affect fundraising. According to the filing, Kennedy Center bylaws require donations to be returned if Trump’s name is removed from the organization’s branding, marketing materials, façade or other affiliated locations.

Government lawyers told the appeals court that hundreds of millions of dollars in donations could be affected if those provisions are triggered.

Protesters and Political Supporters Gather

Protesters remained outside the center throughout Friday, chanting “Take it down” and praising workers involved in the removal effort.

Representative Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who has led the legal challenge, visited the site and expressed support for the court ruling. She said the campaign would continue regardless of further legal action and described the effort as a fight on behalf of the Kennedy family.

Trump’s name was added to the center in December after the board of trustees voted to honour the president. The decision followed major changes to the institution’s leadership and programming and drew criticism from members of the Kennedy family.

At a meeting on Thursday, the board approved a resolution praising Trump’s support for the arts center and created the Trump Kennedy Center Fund to attract additional private donations. Those funds would supplement the $257 million allocated by Congress through Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” It remains unclear whether Trump will personally contribute to the fund.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 13 June 2026

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Very interesting developments with a second judge upholding the earlier decision and telling them to get a move on and take Trump's name off the theater.

I wonder if this is the beginning of a concerted push back by judges against the politicised DOJ and Administration's whimsical orders. Hope so.

He should save those letters, paid for by you & I, for the Trump Museum. He could save a few bucks.

On 6/13/2026 at 6:21 PM, unblocktheplanet said:

He should save those letters, paid for by you & I, for the Trump Museum. He could save a few bucks.

He could put them above his jail cell.

1 hour ago, animalmagic said:

He could put them above his jail cell.

He could put them in the place he told us to shine the light during Covid and be sure to disinfect the with bleach first!!

So petty.

Really pathetic lefty judge

Probably wants George Floyd’s name

It's a start.

49 minutes ago, newnative said:

It's a start.

One down and One more to go (White House).

1 hour ago, EastBayRay said:

So petty.

Trump's view on the Rule of Law and his Biggy ego.

On 6/13/2026 at 6:04 PM, webfact said:

They also warned that compliance could affect fundraising. According to the filing, Kennedy Center bylaws require donations to be returned if Trump’s name is removed from the organization’s branding, marketing materials, façade or other affiliated locations.

What they didn't mention is that the bylaws were only changed to read this way after the initial order requiring the removal of his name.

22 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

What they didn't mention is that the bylaws were only changed to read this way after the initial order requiring the removal of his name.

The by-laws were changed by Trump’s appointed board. A federal judge has already ruled that the board acted outside their authority. Finance laws do not force the return. Trump’s donors got burnt big time. Suckers for a grifting sleaze bag

Now let’s bring back the Rose Garden, remove the cheap plastic gold glitz from the Oval Office that makes it look like a Hollywood French bordello, and bring back honesty, trust, and patriotism to the USA, something missing since trump took office.

2 minutes ago, FolkGuitar said:

Now let’s bring back the Rose Garden, remove the cheap plastic gold glitz from the Oval Office that makes it look like a Hollywood French bordello, and bring back honesty, trust, and patriotism to the USA, something missing since trump took office.

The stench in the Oval Office left behind by Trump will be hard to remove. It probably requires weeks of fumigation followed by industrial strength disinfectant. Similar to biohazard remediation of a highly contaminated place.

Trump does not deserve his name on a plastic outhouse, much less the Kennedy Center. He has done absolutely nothing to deserve this honor, and self honoring oneself is not exactly considered an act of nobility.

How to attract enemies, diminish influence, ruin prestige, and alienate allies.

That should be the new Trump motto.

On a daily basis this man demonstrates additional levels of goonery, clown like behavior, and utter absurdness. What an incredibly sad and pathetic example of the human species he is.

Americans should be recoiling in horror at this demonstration of self aggrandizement, certainly the world is looking on with astonishment at the shame he is bringing upon a nation that used to be fairly great, but has descended into a land of chaos, mass murders, political division, shootings, criminality, homelessness, poverty, unemployment, silly levels of real inflation, and diminished influence.

The honor and the pride is completely gone, right out the window. Trump is trashing everything America used to stand for.

On 6/13/2026 at 5:04 PM, webfact said:

removing President Donald Trump’s name from the exterior of the Kennedy Center

Why not go one step further and remove him from the USA???

23 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Why not go one step further and remove him from the USA???

He's a pariah. No one wants him.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Trump does not deserve his name on a plastic outhouse, much less the Kennedy Center. He has done absolutely nothing to deserve this honor, and self honoring oneself is not exactly considered an act of nobility.

How to attract enemies, diminish influence, ruin prestige, and alienate allies.

That should be the new Trump motto.

On a daily basis this man demonstrates additional levels of goonery, clown like behavior, and utter absurdness. What an incredibly sad and pathetic example of the human species he is.

Americans should be recoiling in horror at this demonstration of self aggrandizement, certainly the world is looking on with astonishment at the shame he is bringing upon a nation that used to be fairly great, but has descended into a land of chaos, mass murders, political division, shootings, criminality, homelessness, poverty, unemployment, silly levels of real inflation, and diminished influence.

The honor and the pride is completely gone, right out the window. Trump is trashing everything America used to stand for.

Sounds like the enemy from within.

3 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

Now let’s bring back the Rose Garden, remove the cheap plastic gold glitz from the Oval Office that makes it look like a Hollywood French bordello, and bring back honesty, trust, and patriotism to the USA, something missing since trump took office.

To me, the UFC cage fighting thing on the front lawn of the White House really defines who this guy is. A real low life, bottom feeder, with no sense of judgement or dignity whatsoever. It really is his signature moment.