The music didn't last long: Donald Trump's name will be removed from the Kennedy Center.

Lawyers for the institution now known as the Trump Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts have instructed staff to immediately revert to its original name, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. These instructions are outlined in a memo sent by the cultural center's general counsel and obtained by CBS News.

This is the first official confirmation that the National Arts Center is complying with a federal court order requiring it to drop references to President Trump from its name and reconsider plans to close the facility for two years to undergo a major renovation.

Last week, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in favor of Ohio Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, who serves on the Kennedy Center's board of trustees. She filed a lawsuit challenging both the institution's renaming and its plans to close for two years for major renovations.

On the subject: The Kennedy Center's renaming in honor of Trump led to lawsuits, canceled partnerships, and concerts.

Cooper concluded that the Kennedy Center board exceeded its authority when it approved renamingIncidentally, this happened relatively recently—at the end of 2025. But Trump's name didn't remain on the sign for long, as a judge ordered it removed from the institution's name, as well as from all signage—both on the building's façade and from any physical or digital media, as well as from official materials.

The memo states that staff "should immediately change email signatures, letterhead, and other documents to reflect the name The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, or Kennedy Center."

According to the document, internal and external signs must be returned to their previous appearance no later than June 12.

Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center's vice president of public affairs, said: "We are complying with the court's ruling while exploring all legal options to preserve the renovation project and recognize President Trump's leadership."

The memo said, among other things, that the National Arts Centre's leadership continues to "review options and will provide further guidance soon" on whether the facility will remain open beyond July 5, when major $257 million renovations are scheduled to begin.

In his decision, Cooper acknowledged that the modernization of the National Arts Centre was indeed “urgently needed,” but noted that his preliminary ruling did not completely rule out the possibility of closing the institution “if the Council again reached such a decision after an independent and considered review of its obligations to the Centre.”

"The court does not seek to determine how the Center should be managed, nor does it prescribe a specific plan—whether construction, closure, or any other future course of action," the judge wrote. "It merely obligates the Kennedy Center board to comply with the minimum requirements established by law. Everything else is left to the discretion of the parties."

In the first weeks of his second term, President Trump replaced several members of the National Arts Center's board of trustees with senior members of his administration and close allies, after which they elected him as board chairman.

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In December, the Kennedy Center board voted to rename the institution The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Within hours, the cultural center's website was updated to display the name as The Trump Kennedy Center, and President Trump's name began appearing on the building's façade. However, lawmakers and legal experts stated that such a change would require congressional approval.

Following these decisions, a number of artists scheduled to perform at the cultural center canceled their concerts, and the executive director of the Kennedy Center's National Symphony Orchestra resigned to take another job.

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