UMVA has learned that workers began dismantling President Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center facade on Friday, following an appeals court decision that upheld a judge's ruling to remove it.
The sudden move came after a chaotic legal battle, with the Kennedy Center board fighting to keep Trump's name on the iconic Washington, D.C. landmark. The board had initially approved the addition of Trump's name in December, citing his alleged role in saving the institution from financial ruin.
However, the victory was short-lived, as a judge ruled that Trump's name had to be removed. The Kennedy Center board made multiple attempts to delay the ruling, filing for a stay pending appeal and an immediate administrative stay, but an appeals court denied their requests.
A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit rejected the board's emergency motion, paving the way for the removal of Trump's name. The decision marked a significant setback for the board, which had argued that the name should remain until the matter was reviewed on appeal.
The controversy surrounding Trump's name on the Kennedy Center facade began long before the court battles. The move to add his name was met with criticism, and now, it seems, the name is coming down despite the board's best efforts to keep it.
Trump himself weighed in on the decision, slamming the judge who ruled in favor of removing his name. He made personal attacks on the judge, citing his wife's background as a former Obama-era Department of Justice attorney.
The White House and the Kennedy Center have yet to comment on the latest developments. The sudden removal of Trump's name has left many questions unanswered, but one thing is certain – the Kennedy Center will once again be known simply as a memorial to John F. Kennedy.
