On May 29, 2026, a district court ordered the removal of President Donald Trump's name from the façade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, along with all related signage, the official website, and trademark applications containing his name. The court mandated these changes be completed by June 12, 2026.

On the compliance deadline afternoon, June 12, the appellants filed a motion seeking a stay pending appeal. However, the D.C. Circuit Judges Patricia Millett, Robert Wilkins, and Gregory Katsas denied the stay, finding that the appellants failed to demonstrate how they would suffer irreparable harm without it.

The court noted that removal had already occurred, so a stay would not prevent the alleged harms related to expense and time. It also highlighted inconsistencies in claims that the Center would face financial ruin without Trump's name, pointing out there was no proof that donations depended on his name being on the building. Furthermore, the appellants argued that the "Trump Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Foundation" would be unable to fundraise and would have to return all raised or committed funds if the name was not restored, but the court found these claims insufficient to justify a stay.

Because the appellants did not meet the necessary prerequisite of showing irreparable harm, the court did not address the likelihood of success on the merits of the appeal.

Notable Quotes

  • "[A] showing of irreparable harm is a necessary prerequisite for a stay."
  • "[T]here is no proof that current or future donations hinge on President Trump's name being on the building."
  • "[T]he declaration is internally inconsistent in suggesting that the Center has already amassed millions in contributions yet would be in financial ruin if [President] Trump's name were excised from the title."
  • "The removal threatens to impede the Center's fundraising efforts and [will] contribute to the financial decline of the Center," a claim the court found unsubstantiated.

Sources