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A United States appeals court has rejected President Donald Trump’s request to restore his name to the facade of the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts while legal proceedings over its removal continue.
In a ruling on Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia declined to suspend an earlier decision ordering the removal of Trump’s name from the performing arts venue.
The court noted that the name had already been removed and said the administration had failed to demonstrate that leaving it off the building would cause irreparable harm.
The judges also dismissed claims that the Kennedy Centre would suffer financial losses if Trump’s name was not immediately reinstated, saying no specific evidence had been presented to support the argument.
Last month, District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that only the US Congress has the authority to change the name of the Kennedy Centre, prompting the removal of Trump’s name from the building.
The Trump administration and the Kennedy Centre’s governing board subsequently appealed the decision, seeking to have the President’s name restored pending the outcome of the case.
Following his return to the White House, Trump appointed himself chairman of the Kennedy Center and reshaped its board with political allies.
In December, the board voted to rename the venue the “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Centre for the Performing Arts,” leading to Trump’s name being added prominently above that of former President John F. Kennedy.
The move drew criticism from parts of the arts community, with several performers cancelling scheduled appearances at the venue.
Although Trump’s name has since been removed, the affected section of the building remains covered with scaffolding and a white tarpaulin. Judge Cooper has directed the board to explain by the end of July why the coverings are still in place.
