Kennedy Center Reclaims Original Name After Court Orders Removal of Trump's Name

Hundreds of citizens gathered in front of the Kennedy Center, a prominent cultural and arts institution in Washington, D.C.

[Tear it down! Tear it down!]

This was the moment the name of President Trump was removed from the exterior wall of the building.

The removal of all signs related to President Trump from the building's exterior and grounds comes after a recent ruling by a U.S. federal court in Washington, D.C., which declared that "changing the name of the Kennedy Center without congressional approval is illegal."

The Kennedy Center is a performing arts center established by the U.S. Congress in 1963, shortly after the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy, as a memorial.

Shortly after taking office, President Trump personally assumed the role of chairman of the center, citing a "culture war" against the progressive camp.

Late last year, he pushed through a unanimous decision by the Kennedy Center's board of directors to change the center's name to the "Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts."

The move sparked strong backlash from the cultural and arts community as well as the public, with performing groups canceling scheduled shows and refusing awards, leading to growing repercussions.

Ultimately, Representative Beatty (Democrat) filed a lawsuit, and the federal court ruled that "only Congress has the authority to change the name of the Kennedy Center," ordering the removal of President Trump's name not only from the building but also from the website and all signage.

The Washington Post described the Kennedy Center reclaiming its original name as a "symbolic clash over the identity of American cultural institutions and the influence of political power."

Reported by Jeong Gyeong-yun | Video by Na Hong-hee | Graphics by Lee Jeong-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.