By Ginika Igboke
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) filed a lawsuit on Dec. 22 against President Donald Trump and the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees, challenging the renaming of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
“Only Congress has the authority to rename the Kennedy Center. President Trump and his cronies must not be allowed to trample federal law and bypass Congress to feed his ego,” Beatty said in a statement. “This entire process has been a complete disgrace to this cherished institution and the people it serves. These unlawful actions must be blocked before any further damage is done.”
On Dec. 18, the Kennedy Center board unanimously voted to rename the institution the Trump–Kennedy Center. New exterior lettering and digital rebranding were installed the same day.
The lawsuit describes the renaming as “a flagrant violation of the rule of law” that undermines the constitutional separation of powers. It asks a judge to restore the name “John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
Attorneys representing Beatty said Congress designated the Kennedy Center as a national memorial to President John F. Kennedy and that only Congress has the authority to change its name. “The president and his allies have no lawful authority to rename the Kennedy Center,” said Nathaniel Zelinsky of the Washington Litigation Group and Norman Eisen of Democracy Defenders Action, adding that they were proud to represent Beatty in defense of the institution and the separation of powers.
The Kennedy Center said the lawsuit does not affect its day-to-day operations. A spokesperson said the Kennedy Memorial itself remains unaffected and credited Trump with raising more than $131 million in private and corporate donations, along with securing $257 million in congressional funding for long-deferred infrastructure repairs. The spokesperson criticized opponents of the renaming for failing to act while the building deteriorated and said the new Trump–Kennedy Center ensures the institution’s future.
The White House echoed that position, saying Trump revitalized the center by strengthening its finances, modernizing the building, and ending what it described as divisive programming. A spokesperson said the board’s unanimous vote to rename the institution marked a new era for one of the nation’s most prominent cultural venues.
Trump said he was “very honored” by the decision, noting that he was surprised by the unanimous vote of what he called a highly distinguished board.
Trump serves as chairman of the Kennedy Center, with Ric Grenell as president. Board members include Second Lady Usha Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Fox News hosts Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham, and Dan Scavino, the White House’s presidential personnel office director and deputy chief of staff.
Trump assumed control of the Kennedy Center shortly after taking office, dismissing the previous board and president, philanthropist David Rubenstein, saying they did not share his vision for a “Golden Age in arts and culture.” He has since attended several events at the center, including the opening of Les Misérables, the FIFA World Cup draw, and the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony.
Members of the Kennedy family sharply criticized the renaming. Former Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.) said the center is a living memorial established by federal law and cannot be renamed any more than the Lincoln Memorial could be. Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, wrote on X that Trump’s name should not appear alongside President Kennedy’s, citing Kennedy’s legacy of justice, peace, equality, and compassion.
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