Donald Trump's legal fight to restore his name to the Kennedy Center's facade hit another wall Wednesday when federal appeals judges refused to halt a lower court order that stripped the lettering weeks ago.
A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected the Trump administration's request to pause the removal, delivering the second courtroom defeat on the same issue in as many months. The administration had argued that taking Trump's name off the iconic Washington theater would damage fundraising and push the institution toward financial decline.
The judges were unmoved. The unsigned order found the administration failed to provide "any specific facts or evidence" to support its financial harm claim.
The removal itself happened in June, following an earlier ruling by US District Judge Christopher Cooper in May. Cooper not only ordered the lettering taken down but also blocked Trump's plan to close the center for two years of renovations beginning July 4.
The lawsuit originated with Joyce Beatty, a Democratic representative and Kennedy Center board member, who challenged Trump's authority over the decision to add his name to the building in the first place.
The appeals court also prohibited the Trump administration from asserting claims about a new entity called the Trump Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Foundation and any money it might be owed if the president's name is not restored. The panel made clear the appeal itself can proceed on its merits, but this particular request for relief was denied.
The three judges on the panel included Patricia Millett and Robert Wilkins, both appointed by Barack Obama, and Gregory Katsas, appointed by Trump during his first term. Their decision was unanimous.
Meanwhile, the Kennedy Center remains partially obscured. Scaffolding and tarps that were erected in preparation for construction work have stayed in place for weeks, covering much of the facade. Judge Cooper has since ordered the institution to explain why the covering has not come down.
Since Trump took control of the Kennedy Center's board, the center has faced operational challenges. Several artists have withdrawn from scheduled performances, and ticket sales have declined, painting a picture of turbulence at an institution that had operated for decades without such disruption.
The White House offered no immediate comment on the appeals court decision.
Author James Rodriguez: "Another federal court has told Trump the Kennedy Center name removal sticks, and his financial hardship argument didn't hold water with the judges."
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