A federal judge in Washington, D.C.has issued an injunction preventing any attempt to rename the John F.Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after Donald Trump or to shut it down under his direction.

District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that Congress had made it unequivocally clear that the institution must retain its original name in honour of President John F.Kennedy, and that it cannot be altered through unilateral decisions by the board or the administration.

The ruling came after concerns that a Trump-appointed board had agreed to proposals aligned with the president’s wishes, including temporarily closing the centre for planned renovation works.

The judge found that the board had failed to properly consider its statutory responsibilities and broader implications, describing its decision-making process as lacking adequate scrutiny and based on incomplete information.However, the injunction does not prevent necessary capital repair work from proceeding, which the court acknowledged as potentially needed.It also does not entirely prohibit closure of the centre, provided the board independently reassesses the matter in accordance with its obligations.

Following the ruling, Donald Trump criticised the decision on his Truth Social platform, claiming it would be impractical to continue operations during renovation and suggesting he would seek to transfer responsibility for the institution back to Congress.

The dispute also intersects with wider political tensions surrounding the Kennedy Center’s governance, including a lawsuit brought by Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty challenging attempts to associate Trump’s name with the landmark.Beatty has argued that such efforts amount to a personal branding exercise rather than public stewardship.

The judge’s decision reinforces the principle that statutory naming rights and institutional identity cannot be altered without congressional approval, while leaving room for administrative maintenance and potential future governance decisions made independently of presidential influence.