Revealed: Kennedy Center's Facade Transformation Unveiled
WHO:
CNN - Matt Floca, executive director of the Kennedy Center
CNN - Mallory Miller, co-founder of the activist organization “Hands Off the Arts”
WHAT:
Alternet - The Kennedy Center board initiated an attempt to restore Trump’s name in different ways, including creating a new endowment fund named the "Trump Kennedy Center Fund."
Alternet - The "Trump Kennedy Center Fund" is described as "a landmark commitment to securing the future of the nation's preeminent performing arts institution and its enduring legacy of artistic excellence."
CNN - New images show the Kennedy Center signage with President Trump's name removed, confirming a sworn court declaration from executive director Matt Floca that the name is no longer affixed to the building.
CNN - The images were first reported by the Washington Post and provided to CNN by the activist organization “Hands Off the Arts.”
CNN - Mallory Miller, co-founder of “Hands Off the Arts,” stated, “Tonight, there is a tarp that is covering the bare marble that these photos reveal to the world. The president does not want you to see them and that’s exactly why they’re important!”
CNN - President Trump's name has been removed from the exterior of the Kennedy Center.
CNN - Workers began removing Trump’s name from an exterior wall of the Kennedy Center overnight on June 13.
CNN - The Kennedy Center is facing challenges such as plummeting ticket sales, artist withdrawals, political controversies, and a diminished staff.
WHERE:
CNN - The Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.
WHEN:
CNN - The removal of Trump’s name began on June 13.
CNN - The Kennedy Center asked the judge for more time to comply with deadlines in an ongoing lawsuit.
WHY:
Alternet - The current board feels that the physical disrepair of the building has been neglected in the past.
CNN - A federal judge ruled that the Kennedy Center could only be named for John F. Kennedy as a living memorial to the late president.
HOW:
CNN - The removal of Trump’s name was part of compliance with a judge’s ruling that the institution could only be named for John F. Kennedy as a living memorial to the late president.
CNN - The images of the removal were provided to CNN by the activist organization “Hands Off the Arts.”
(UPDATED June 24, 2026 01:36 UTC)
The Kennedy Center board is taking steps to restore Trump’s name by establishing a new endowment fund called the "Trump Kennedy Center Fund." This fund is being described as a landmark commitment to securing the future of the nation’s leading performing arts institution and its legacy of artistic excellence. The board believes that the building's physical disrepair has been overlooked in the past, prompting this initiative.
--
(UPDATED June 23, 2026 17:39 UTC)
New images confirm that President Trump's name has been removed from the Kennedy Center, aligning with a court ruling that mandates the institution be named solely for John F. Kennedy as a living memorial. The images, first reported by the Washington Post and provided to CNN by the activist group “Hands Off the Arts,” show a tarp covering the bare marble where the name once was. Mallory Miller, co-founder of the organization, emphasized the significance of these photos, stating that they reveal what the president does not want the public to see.
--
(UPDATED June 23, 2026 06:23 UTC)
President Trump's name has been removed from the exterior of the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., following a federal judge's ruling that the venue can only honor John F. Kennedy as a living memorial. Workers began this removal process overnight on June 13, amid ongoing challenges for the Kennedy Center, including plummeting ticket sales and artist withdrawals. The activist organization “Hands Off the Arts” provided images of the removal to CNN, as the center seeks more time to comply with deadlines in an ongoing lawsuit.