Trump’s Name Torn Down from Kennedy Center as Tens of Thousands Watch Live
A federal court ruling handed the resistance a major victory today as workers began removing Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with tens of thousands of Americans tuning in live to watch it happen in real time.
A YouTube livestream hosted by MS NOW drew more than 35,000 viewers by early afternoon, with cheers audible off-camera as scaffolding went up and workers got to work stripping the president’s name from the iconic arts institution
The removal follows a ruling by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who found last month that Trump’s attempt to rename the Kennedy Center was illegal because it bypassed Congress entirely. The judge was unambiguous: Congress created the Kennedy Center’s name, and only Congress has the authority to change it.
The Kennedy Center’s board, stacked with Trump loyalists including former Attorney General Pam Bondi, Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, had voted late last year to rebrand the venue as the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex officio board member who had filed a lawsuit against the name change, said she was muted on the call when she tried to voice her objection and vote no.
The board made a last-ditch attempt on Thursday to block the removal by seeking a stay of Cooper’s order, but it was not enough to stop what happened Friday morning
The Kennedy Center has been in turmoil since Trump seized control of it following his return to the White House. Ticket sales collapsed, major artists refused to perform, and Trump’s handpicked director Richard Grenell, who had no arts background, was described by insiders as ruling the institution with a sledgehammer before being ousted by Trump himself in March. His replacement, Matt Floca, now oversees a center still reeling from months of chaos.
Today, the law won. The Kennedy Center’s name is being restored, and the American people showed up to celebrate it.