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The Trump administration's battle to keep the president's name on the Kennedy Center continues to linger.U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper ordered on May 29 that President Donald Trump's name be removed from the Kennedy Center's title within 14 days. The judge ruled the president's name was added to the center illegally.Lawyers for Trump filed a notice of appeal on June 11, aiming to overturn the order. The move to appeal was directed by the Kennedy Center's board, according to reports by The New York Times and the Associated Press, citing people familiar with the board's actions.Trump’s move to appeal Cooper’s order comes a day shy of the judge’s deadline for removal of his name from the venue. USA TODAY contacted the White House for comment on June 12.Judge's ruling brought crowds to Kennedy CenterCooper's ruling drew crowds to the Kennedy Center, hoping to see Trump's name removed from the building.The judge’s ruling came in response to a lawsuit brought by Democratic U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, a member of the Kennedy Center's board.Trump began implementing vision for Kennedy Center last yearTrump began enacting his vision for the world-renowned arts center in February 2025, when he abruptly dismissed the board, replaced its members with political allies and appointed himself as the new chairman.In an effort to make the venue "less woke," he canceled several scheduled performances and secured $257 million in federal dollars for renovations he said are badly needed.The newly appointed board voted to rename the Kennedy Center the "Trump-Kennedy Center" in December, with crews appearing to install new signage on the building less than 24 hours after the decision that Trump called "unanimous."Contributing: Michael Loria & Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAYGabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@usatodayco.com.
