Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democrat representing Ohio, filed a motion Wednesday asking a federal judge to remove President Trump’s name from Kennedy Center and stop his plan to close the institution for two years. Beatty, an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board of directors, presented the documentation, which rolling stone has reviewed, through its legal representatives Democracy Defenders Action and the Washington Litigation Group, before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
“Can the Kennedy Center Board, in direct contradiction to the governing statutes, rename this sacred John F. Kennedy monument in honor of President Donald J. Trump?” memorandum introductory publications. “The answer is, unequivocally, ‘no.’ By changing the name of the Center, in violation of the law, the defendants [Donald J. Trump, et al] “They have violated the terms of the trust and their most basic fiduciary obligations as trustees.”
beatty alleges that Trump He treated the board as a “rubber stamp” – an expected endorsement of his policies – and pushed a motion to add his name to the institution illegally. “Congress [in 1964] “It was clear: the Kennedy Center is named after ‘John F. Kennedy’ and no one else,” the document maintains. “The Board’s decision to rename the Kennedy Center after President Trump is patently illegal.”
Additionally, Congress previously prohibited institution name changes. “In the provision outlining the duties of the Board, Congress stated that, beginning December 2, 1983, the trustees ‘shall ensure that’ ‘no additional monuments or commemorative plaques are designated or installed in the public areas of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.’”
Among other requests, Beatty would like a permanent injunction stopping the name change. Beatty points out that Trump’s “name change is directly related to artists canceling performancesundermining [the institution’s] ability to maintain the Center as a performing arts space and a living memorial to President Kennedy.”
Artists included Felipe Glass, Bella Fleckand Rene Fleminga production of hamiltonand the Washington National Opera all canceled previously announced concerts at the Kennedy Center.
in a related presentationBeatty said closing the Kennedy Center in July, as Trump proposed, would “violate” the board’s duty to maintain the institution as a memorial to President Kennedy. “Turning the Kennedy Center into a lifeless shell for two years would also constitute a fundamental violation of defendants’ most basic fiduciary obligations as trustees,” it says.
She alleges that Trump and his cronies on the board “rushed” to close the Kennedy Center without independent analysis, and that the February announcement that it would be close after “an extensive ‘one-year review’” was a lie. Instead, they relied on “four reports commissioned and delivered under the former leadership of the Kennedy Center in 2021, 2022, and 2024.” Beatty believes the decision to close the Center was in response to musicians canceling performances there after Trump’s name was added.
Also under discussion is a proposed closure in July. “12 months of additional design, permitting and procurement work will likely be necessary before defendants can begin responsible construction work,” the filing says. “There is no reason to close the Kennedy Center soon – and violate the Board’s obligations to maintain the Center as a living memorial – long before defendants could even begin responsible construction. The purpose of closure without that kind of preparation can only be an illegal, ask questions first, demolition approach that President Trump took disastrously with the East Wing of the White House, destroying protected buildings before anyone can stop him.” Additionally, Trump admitted at a board meeting that he had already prematurely announced the closure before the board could vote.
“donald trump‘s Attempt to rename the Kennedy Center after himself. “It’s not just an act of ego,” Beatty said in a statement. “It is an attempt to subvert our Constitution and the rule of law. Congress established the Kennedy Center by law and only Congress can change its name. The Kennedy Center is a national institution with a long tradition of bipartisan support. This is not an opportunity for President Trump to expand his personal brand. We will not let this continue.”
“We are confident that the court will uphold the board’s decision on the desperately needed name change and renovations and that they will continue as planned,” Roma Daravi, Kennedy Center vice president of public relations, said in a statement.
“The Kennedy Memorial is not affected at all by the recent name change,” said a Trump Kennedy Center official. “It remains the living monument to President John F. Kennedy.”
“Renaming the Kennedy Center to add Trump’s name is illegal. It fundamentally changes the nature of the monument; to suggest otherwise has no basis in reality,” Beatty said in a statement to rolling stone. “The Kennedy Center is intended to commemorate the life and legacy of President John F. Kennedy, not President Trump. The name change is a complete affront to American history, the late President John F. Kennedy, and the arts community.”
White House representatives did not immediately respond to rolling stones Request for comments regarding the lawsuit.
Beatty has filed several lawsuits related to the Kennedy Center. His first, in DecemberIt was an attempt to prevent Trump from adding his name to the institution. In early March, he filed another application to try to stop the two-year closure, and on March 16, the District Court issued a temporary restraining order that would allow him to receive documents about the closure and allow him to vote at a board meeting that day. (“Despite her claims in court, Congresswoman Beatty was invited to the board meeting,” Daravi said.)
“As mentioned on several occasions, the invitation was not distributed through my team per usual practice,” Beatty said in a statement to Rolling stone. “When my staff contacted the Kennedy Center regarding my attendance, the Kennedy Center refused to respond. We should not have had to go to court for an answer.”
Beatty was prevented from attending board meetings, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He attended the March 16 meeting but was unable to vote. A source who was in the room claims rolling stone that Beatty “spoke for three minutes on the record, highlighting his full and complete support for federal funding and the need for deferred maintenance renewals.”
Beatty responded in a statement to rolling stonesaying, “At the White House meeting, I made it very clear (to President Trump and board members in attendance) that I am completely opposed to the name change and closure, full stop.”
In other Kennedy Center news, it was announced Thursday that Bill Maher will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at a gala on June 28, despite reports that the White House has previously denied he would win it. An administration official says rolling stone“This was a false report at the time of The Atlantic “The situation changed after further discussions took place between the Trump-Kennedy Center and event organizers over the past week.”
“For nearly three decades, the Mark Twain Prize has honored some of the greatest minds in comedy,” Daravi said in a statement. “For even longer, Bill has been influencing American discourse, one politically incorrect joke at a time.”
“Thank you to the Mark Twain people: they just explained the award to me and apparently it’s like an Emmy, except I win,” Maher said. “I’d just like to say that it’s really humbling to have something named after a man who’s been banned from as many school libraries as Mark Twain.” The presentation will be broadcast on Netflix.
This article was updated at 8:17 pm ET to include statements from Beatty.
