WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge on Friday denied a request from the Kennedy Center to pause a ruling ordering President Donald Trump’s name removed from building.Unless the Kennedy Center decides to appeal the decision from U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, the decision raises the prospect that Trump’s name will be removed from the building. In his ruling last month, Cooper said only Congress could institute a change to the Kennedy Center’s name and ordered that references to Trump be removed by Friday. A Kennedy Center spokesperson didn’t immediately comment on the ruling. Workers were seen building scaffolding around a section of the building that includes Trump’s name.Last month, Cooper ruled Trump’s name was illegally added to the iconic Washington performing arts facility. Late Thursday, Trump’s handpicked board at the center mounted a last-minute effort to keep his name on the facade of the iconic performing arts facility but Cooper refused to stay his order.
A June 4 memo to staff from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.”
