Kennedy Center Drops Trump's Name Following Court Decision

WHO:

The Washington Post - The Kennedy Center, President Donald Trump, the current president, the Kennedy Center's general counsel, staff members.

CNN - President Donald Trump, comedian Bill Maher, Louis C.K., Whitney Cummings, Woody Harrelson, Arianna Huffington, Jay Leno, John Mellencamp, Stephen A. Smith.

WHAT:

The Washington Post - The Kennedy Center removed President Trump's name from its website.

CNN - A federal judge ruled that President Trump's name had to be removed from the Kennedy Center's branding.

CNN - The Kennedy Center's website logo no longer includes "Trump."

CNN - The large lettering on the building's facade still features "Donald J. Trump."

CNN - Staff were instructed to change email signatures, letterhead, and other documents to reflect the name as "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts" or "Kennedy Center."

CNN - Performance-only tickets for the Mark Twain Prize event start at $99, with more expensive packages selling for $750 and $1500.

WHERE:

The Washington Post - The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

WHEN:

The Washington Post - The Kennedy Center has a court-ordered deadline to remove references to Trump by a specified date.

CNN - The deadline for staff to complete the name changes is June 12, 2026.

CNN - The Kennedy Center will honor comedian Bill Maher with the Mark Twain Prize later this month.

WHY:

CNN - The removal of Trump's name is in compliance with a court order.

HOW:

CNN - The Kennedy Center's general counsel issued a memo to staff detailing the required changes to documentation and branding.

(UPDATED June 9, 2026 01:37 UTC)

The Kennedy Center has removed President Trump's name from its website and is complying with a federal judge's ruling to eliminate all references to him in its branding by June 12, 2026. Staff members have been instructed to update email signatures and letterhead to reflect the name "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts" or simply "Kennedy Center," although the large lettering on the building's facade still displays "Donald J. Trump." Later this month, the Kennedy Center will honor comedian Bill Maher with the Mark Twain Prize, with performance-only tickets starting at $99.