Lawyers for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts are appealing a judge's ruling that ordered the removal of U.S. President Donald Trump's name from the building. The legal team filed a request on Thursday to freeze the order while the appeal is pending.
Late Thursday, the center asked U.S. District Judge Casey Cooper to pause his ruling from two weeks ago, which stated that the venue acted unlawfully when it added Trump's name to the building, its website, and promotional materials, according to the New York Times.
The center was ordered to comply with the ruling by the end of Friday. In some areas, the center has already reversed the change, including instructing staff to remove references to "Trump Kennedy Center" or "The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts" from email signatures, social media accounts, and official posts, as well as updating the website logo.
However, the exterior signage remains in place as of Friday. The center is seeking to stop further compliance while its appeal is heard in higher D.C. courts.
Board votes to appeal
Earlier Thursday, the Kennedy Center board of trustees held a virtual meeting to discuss the appeal of Cooper's decision. Members voted to fight the court order, which claimed the board violated the law when it added Trump's name to the facade.
Without a stay, Trump's legal team argues that the Kennedy Center would be "forced to squander time and money" on removing signage only to potentially reinstall it if the appeal succeeds. The lawyers contend that this constitutes irreparable harm and that removing Trump's name "threatens to impede the Center's fundraising efforts and contribute to the financial decline of the Center," as reported by the Times.
The filing also expressed concerns that removing and reinstalling the sign could be "incredibly confusing for the public," arguing that it would be "sensible" for the court to allow the Trump signage to remain until the appeal process concludes.
If Cooper denies the request, the Kennedy Center can ask the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for a stay. If no stay is granted, Cooper's initial ruling stands, requiring all Trump branding to be removed by midnight. Failure to comply would put the Kennedy Center, of which Trump is chairman, in contempt of court.
Background on the name change
Last December, the Trump-selected board of trustees voted unanimously to add Trump's name to the venue, officially changing the title to "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts," or "Trump Kennedy Center." The move sparked backlash, with artists canceling performances and several Kennedy family members criticizing the change.
The center was also scheduled to close on July 4 for two years of extensive renovations, but it remains unclear if that will proceed. The court voided the decision to close for renovations, and the Kennedy Center's lawyers appealed only the name change, not the closure part of the ruling.
