Democrat Sues to Strip Trump’s Name From Kennedy Center, Calling Move Unconstitutional Power Grab
Rep. Joyce Beatty filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to remove President Donald Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, escalating a growing legal and political fight over changes to the historic venue.
In the complaint, Beatty—an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center’s board—argues that adding Trump’s name to the building is a “flagrant violation” of the Constitution and directly contradicts congressional intent. She maintains that Congress established the center as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, not as a space for honoring sitting presidents.
“Congress intended the Center to be a living memorial to President Kennedy and a crown jewel of the arts for all Americans, irrespective of party,” the lawsuit states. “Unless and until this Court intervenes, Defendants will continue to defy Congress and thwart the law for improper ends.”
Beatty is represented by Norman Eisen, who served as White House ethics counsel during the Obama administration, along with his co-counsel Nathaniel Zelinsky of the Washington Litigation Group, according to The New York Times.
The Ohio Democrat also challenges the Trump administration’s claim that the Kennedy Center board unanimously approved the name change. Beatty alleges that during last week’s board call, several members—including herself—were muted and not allowed to voice objections before the decision was announced.
Despite the controversy, new exterior signage was installed Friday, officially adding Trump’s name above the building’s long-standing title honoring President Kennedy. The move immediately drew backlash from Democrats and arts advocates.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has argued the change is illegal, citing federal law governing the center’s status as a national memorial. Others have echoed concerns that the move exceeds the authority of the board and violates the original statute establishing the institution.
Kennedy Center interim president Richard Grenell rejected those claims, defending the decision on social media. “It’s now a bipartisan space reflecting the new era. Donald Trump saved it,” Grenell wrote in a post on X.
Beatty’s lawsuit also criticizes broader changes made under the Trump administration, including shifts in programming and restrictions on performances deemed “inappropriate.” The complaint argues that the renaming effort and programming overhaul are “more reminiscent of authoritarian regimes than the American republic,” warning that presidential self-commemoration undermines democratic norms.
The case now heads to federal court, where judges will be asked to decide whether the Trump administration overstepped its legal authority by altering one of the nation’s most prominent cultural landmarks.
