Judge blocks Kennedy Center from shutting down for renovations, orders Trump's name removed

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]Controversy over the Trump administration's [music] plans for the Kennedy Center have led to multiple lawsuits and now a judge is weighing in on the name and the agenda.

[00:00:10]Jasmine Styles explains from the alert desk.

[00:00:13]>> Well, a federal judge ordered the sign bearing President Trump's name and website references to him to be taken down within the next 2 weeks. A congresswoman and Kennedy Center board member Joyce Beatty filed this suit shortly after she says that she was shut out from opposing the name change.

[00:00:30]Today, the judge said that the law clearly states the center can only be named for President John F. Kennedy adding only Congress can change the name. The judge also blocked the center from temporarily closing for a year-long renovation, but work on the center can move forward. President Trump reacted on Truth Social. This is just part of a very long post. He says that he asked the Commerce Department to get approval from Congress to take over management, operation, and maintenance of the Kennedy Center.