A U.S. court ordered the removal of President Donald Trump's name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Kennedy Center), a landmark cultural venue in Washington, D.C., saying an institution's name cannot be changed without congressional approval.
According to Reuters and others, Christopher Cooper, a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, on the 29th ordered the Trump administration to restore the Kennedy Center's name to its original form.
The court ordered that, within 14 days, related signs inside and outside the building be removed and that the "Trump-Kennedy Center" name used in government official documents and promotional materials also be deleted.
Earlier, the Kennedy Center board voted in December last year to change the center's name to "Trump-Kennedy Center." However, the court found that the authority to change the Kennedy Center's name rests with Congress and ruled that the board's decision lacked legal basis.
The ruling also put the brakes on President Trump's plans to revamp the Kennedy Center. After the launch of the second-term administration, Trump replaced the existing board members and reconstituted the board with people close to him. He then floated a plan to close the center for about two years and pursue a large-scale renovation.
Judge Cooper also found that the board did not conduct sufficient review in deciding to close the center, deeming that decision invalid as well. He added, however, that after an independent review, the board could make a related decision again if the need is recognized.
Immediately after the ruling, President Trump said on social media (SNS) that he would hand over operating authority for the Kennedy Center to Congress. "I will return this failed institution to Congress so they can decide what to do next," he said, adding that he had instructed the Commerce Department to review the transfer process.
Some, however, noted that under the current legal framework, it is unclear whether operating authority for the Kennedy Center can be transferred directly to Congress.
President Trump has recently pushed a series of policies to use his name on government programs and public facilities. The federal government's child asset-building support program used the name "Trump Account," the U.S. Navy's new warship class is being considered under the name "Trump-class battleship," and an immigration program that grants permanent residency for a $1 million investment is also being pursued under the name "Trump Gold Card."