President Donald Trump’s name has been taken down from the Kennedy Center’s entrance facade, hidden behind tarp and scaffolding, after a federal judge ruled the renaming effort was unlawful and that Congress holds the authority. Ohio Congresswoman Joyce Beatty
By Tuesday morning, the Kennedy Center entrance looked like a worksite—tarp and scaffolding draped around where letters had been. Ohio Congresswoman Joyce Beatty was blunt about why.
Beatty told “CNN News Central” anchor Sara Sidner that President Donald Trump has kept the tarp up because he is “embarrassed. ” adding. “His name has been removed.” She said she was present “at 4 in the morning when the letters actually came down. ” and told viewers. “I can tell you. his name has been removed.”.
The dispute traces back to late May. when a federal judge ruled that Trump’s attempt to rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts the “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” was unlawful. The judge determined that the power to rename the center—dedicated to the late memory of President Kennedy in 1964—rests with Congress.
The Kennedy Center is now in the middle of appealing that decision. Even so, it has been confirmed that Trump’s name has been removed from the building’s facade. Beatty said the change is still being obscured from everyday passersby by the tarp and scaffolding currently covering the entrance.
It was Beatty—described in the account as an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board—whose lawsuit led to the removal. Speaking Tuesday about the case, Beatty said, “We were very victorious because it was unlawful.”
When asked about the tarp and scaffolding, Beatty returned to the same theme. “It’s another one of the things that Donald Trump does. I think he was embarrassed,” the Ohio representative said. “There’s no tarp that he can put up there to cover up what he has done.”
Beatty also said she and others are pushing to make sure the public sees the result. “We are certainly standing up against this tarp to have it also come down,” she said. She added. “We’re going to stand up against this tarp to have it also come down. ” and promised. “The tarp will be coming down. and we will have it as the law created it to be: the John F. Kennedy Memorial.”.
Her comments came alongside another issue tied to the center: Trump’s controversial plan to close the Kennedy Center for renovations. Beatty acknowledged that renovations are needed. saying. “We recognize that things need to be done to renovate it. but it can be done and still maintain being open.” Trump had previously announced a renovation project that would require closing the center for two years.
Earlier, in March, it was ordered that Beatty be allowed to participate in Kennedy Center board meetings again. With that reinstatement in place, Beatty said she intends to keep pressing for changes beyond the facade. “We’re going to stay on this. The tarp will be coming down. ” she said. then pointed to what she called the next step: “We’re going to make sure that we bring programming back.”.
Beatty also pledged to remain involved with the board and to push for the return of major cultural staples. “I’m going to stay on the board and speak up and also be someone who wants to make sure that we restore it and that we are having artists come back and that we do bring the National Symphony Orchestra back. ” she said.
Kennedy Center Joyce Beatty Trump name removed federal judge ruling unlawful renaming tarp scaffolding John F. Kennedy Memorial National Symphony Orchestra renovations