WASHINGTON (AP) — While President Donald Trump’s time at the Kennedy Center has officially ended, the tarp that shrouds his name remains in place, leaving curious onlookers waiting for the true reveal.
Matt Floca, who serves as the executive director and chief operating officer of the iconic performing arts venue, informed a federal court on Saturday that they had adhered to the directive to remove Trump’s name from the facade. In his court filing, Floca confirmed that the board of trustees and the center had successfully eliminated “all physical signage on the Kennedy Center building and grounds, including the front portico, that purports to rename the Kennedy Center after President Trump.”
For those who gathered on the plaza in anticipation of witnessing a symbolic moment marking the limits of Trump’s influence, the sight was less than dramatic. A tarp still obscures the scaffolding set up for workers to complete the task, leaving it uncertain when the tarp will be lifted to reveal the historic inscription: “The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
The Kennedy Center’s leadership had initially resisted a federal judge’s order to remove Trump’s name from the building. Two courts denied their last-minute plea to retain the name pending an appeal. After severe thunderstorms swept through Washington on Friday evening, the Kennedy Center made one final bid for an extension before ultimately complying with the noon Saturday deadline.
Those advocating for the removal of Trump’s name were buoyant. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex officio member of the board who had sued to eliminate references to the former president from the building and its operations, was seen on the plaza late Friday and Saturday morning. She celebrated by posting a video on social media showing her performing the “Trump dance” in one of the grand halls of the Kennedy Center.
“Today’s victory is the beginning of returning the Kennedy Center to the American people,” Beatty said in a statement. “The rule of law prevailed, and that is worth celebrating.”
Leo Bartholomaus, a recent graduate of Syracuse University who lives in Virginia, said he was walking by the Kennedy Center on Friday afternoon after visiting the National Mall to see events related to this weekend’s UFC match at the White House. He said he was not happy that Trump added his name to the building.
“My grandmother had a big love of the arts,” he said. “I’ve been here to see ‘The Lion King.’ I wasn’t a fan of Donald Trump putting his name on it. I thought it was better as the Kennedy Center.”
Closing an unusual chapter
The removal of Trump’s name closes one of the more unusual chapters in the history of the Kennedy Center, which began construction in 1964 and was dedicated to the memory of the slain president, Democrat John F. Kennedy. At what is typically one of the few relatively nonpartisan spaces in Washington, Trump has wielded tremendous influence over the venue during his second term.
Though he rarely discussed the Kennedy Center during his 2024 campaign, Trump moved quickly to oust the institution’s leadership when he returned to office in January 2025 and replaced it with a board of trustees that named him chairman. His name was quickly added to the building.
While the removal of his name marks a setback for Trump, he is moving forward with plans to reshape the physical landscape of the nation’s capital in ways that have few modern parallels.
He demolished the East Wing of the White House and is building a controversial ballroom in its place. He remodeled the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and plans extensive renovations of a golf course in East Potomac Park, moves that could significantly reduce the public’s access to running and biking paths. He is also moving forward with a triumphal arch that will sit near Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River in Virginia.
Indeed as Trump’s name was being removed from the Kennedy Center, the South Lawn of the White House has been transformed into a venue for a UFC match intended to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence but also coinciding with Trump’s birthday on Sunday.
Questions linger about the Kennedy Center’s future
Back at the Kennedy Center, there are many questions about the institution’s future. The same May court decision that ordered Trump’s name to be removed from the building also blocked a planned two-year closure for renovations that was set to begin next month.
The Kennedy Center’s calendar for the weeks ahead include performances of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” and “Bluey’s Big Play.” Comedian Bill Maher is to be awarded the Mark Twain Award for American Humor during a ceremony on June 28.
But little is scheduled for the stages beyond that and, after substantially reducing staff, it is unclear how quickly the Kennedy Center could build out a robust performance list. Trump, angered by the court’s order to remove his name, has said he would turn the Kennedy Center over to Congress and has suggested it might simply shutter because of public safety concerns.
In its unsuccessful appeal on Friday seeking a pause on the order removing Trump’s name, the Kennedy Center’s leadership argued, in terms that seemed similar to the president’s speech patterns, that the lower court was interfering with needed renovations.
“The District Court is not allowing us to close in order to properly fix up and repair the Building, including potentially life threatening structural damage like beams and parking garage ceilings that are rusted, and in serious danger of falling onto people below,” according to the appeal. “Indeed, total collapse!”
The institution also suggested that the president’s name could return to the building if the Kennedy Center later wins its appeal.
If the court denied the venue’s request for a pause, the Kennedy Center argued it would “be forced to squander time and money — by both removing the signage and then potentially returning it after appeal.”
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Associated Press journalist Emily Wang contributed to this report.