Judge Says Kennedy Center Board Broke Law Putting Trump’s Name on Building And Blocks Closure, Trump Criticizes Judge After Plan Is Blocked
President Donald Trump lashed out Saturday after a federal judge blocked his planned renovation of the Kennedy Center and ordered his name removed from the building.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump called U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper “an anti Trump Hater” and claimed it was “impossible” for him to be treated fairly in court.
The comments came after Cooper ruled Friday that the Kennedy Center board acted outside its authority when it voted to close the venue for a major renovation and added Trump’s name to the center.
Trump had pushed for a two year overhaul of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 1971 and is one of the nation’s most prominent cultural institutions.
The administration had said renovation work would begin in July and last about two years. Cooper’s ruling stops that plan for now.
In his ruling, Cooper said the board’s March 16 vote to close the center was “ill informed and seemingly preordained” and did not properly consider the board’s legal obligations.
The judge also found that the board overstepped its statutory authority by adding Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center. Cooper said Congress gave the center its name, and only Congress has the power to change it.
Cooper ordered Trump’s name removed from the building within two weeks.
Trump Says He Is Backing Away From The Project
After the ruling, Trump said he was stepping away from the renovation effort and making arrangements to return control of the Kennedy Center to Congress.
Trump claimed the building was “rusted, rotted, and rat and bug infested” and said the renovated center would have been “incomparable.”
In another post, Trump linked the Kennedy Center dispute to musicians backing out of a celebration for the country’s 250th anniversary.
“Cancel it,” Trump wrote, comparing it to what he described as his own decision to cancel his involvement with the Kennedy Center after Cooper blocked the plan.
The White House did not immediately say whether Trump would continue serving as chairman of the center’s board.
Trump Targets Judge’s Wife In Post
Trump also suggested, without evidence, that Cooper’s wife, attorney Amy Jeffress, played a role in the ruling.
Jeffress is a partner at Hecker Fink and previously served as a federal prosecutor and as a counselor to former Attorney General Eric Holder during President Barack Obama’s administration. Cooper was nominated to the federal bench by Obama.
Trump also pointed to Hecker Fink’s representation of former President Joe Biden in a lawsuit against the Department of Justice involving audio recordings and transcripts from Biden’s interviews with a ghostwriter.
Trump further noted that Jeffress’ firm represented E. Jean Carroll, who won civil verdicts against Trump in sexual abuse and defamation cases. A jury awarded Carroll $5 million in 2023, and another jury awarded her $83 million in 2024. Both awards are under appeal.
Jeffress did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump took control of the Kennedy Center shortly after returning to office in January 2025. He removed the center’s previous leadership and installed a handpicked board of trustees, which then named him chairman.
Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics lawyer involved in a lawsuit challenging Trump’s Kennedy Center plans, said Trump’s signal that he may step back gave some artists hope.
“I have already heard from artists and from audience members alike who are excited about the Kennedy Center returning to non partisan normality,” Eisen told The Associated Press.
Eisen said he was optimistic the center could begin “the long journey back” once Cooper’s order is implemented.
Legal Setback Adds To Trump’s Court Losses
Trump tied the Kennedy Center ruling to other legal losses, including the Supreme Court’s February rejection of his sweeping tariffs.
The Kennedy Center decision came from two parallel lawsuits challenging Trump’s project. One was filed by cultural and historic preservation groups. The other was brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who serves as an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board through her role in Congress.
Cooper ruled in favor of Beatty’s request but rejected the other challenge.
For now, the Kennedy Center renovation is blocked, Trump’s name must be removed, and the political fight over one of the country’s most recognizable cultural spaces is headed into its next chapter.
