The facade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is covered with a tarp following the removal of President Donald Trump’s name, in Washington on June 13, 2026.Rahmat Gul/AP Photo
The Department of Justice submitted a certification to a federal court one hour prior to a judge’s Saturday noon deadline, stating that President Donald Trump’s name had been “taken down” from “all physical signage on the Kennedy Center building and grounds.”
The Trump administration had submitted a last-minute plea for the court to intervene and halt the removal of Trump’s name before the Friday midnight deadline.
The facade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is covered with a tarp following the removal of President Donald Trump’s name, in Washington on June 13, 2026.Rahmat Gul/AP Photo
The government sought “a brief postponement” for 12 hours until June 13 noon, citing that the work “has been postponed due to thunderstorms in the District of Columbia which posed safety risks for the workers,” according to the government’s most recent submission.
A federal judge in D.C. mandated that the Trump administration provide confirmation by Saturday noon that it had adhered to a court directive to remove Trump’s name from the center, granting a brief deferral.
The extension was granted after a federal appeals court on Friday evening rejected the DOJ’s appeal for an administrative pause on a court order mandating the removal of Trump’s name from the Washington, D.C., performing arts venue.
In a prior submission to the D.C. Circuit, the Trump administration contended that erasing Trump’s name would impede fundraising efforts, hinder necessary repairs, and mislead the public.
“No one else besides President Trump would be in a position to both reconstruct the Building and solicit funds for its operation,” the filing declared, suggesting the performing arts center could become “the envy of the World,” and asserting the structure risked “financial and structural collapse.”
Trump’s name has already been expunged from the Kennedy Center’s online presence and YouTube channel.
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Sourse: abcnews.go.com