Representative Joyce Beatty has sued to remove Donald Trump’s name from the John F. Kennedy Center, arguing the board’s renaming vote violated federal law because congressional approval is required. Beatty, acting as an ex‑officio trustee, alleges she was muted and prevented from speaking during the vote. The administration and the center claim the vote was unanimous and signage has been changed, while critics including Joe Kennedy III contend the renaming likely violates the statute protecting the center as a federal memorial.
Rep. Joyce Beatty Sues to Remove Trump’s Name From Kennedy Center, Calling Renaming Illegal
Demonstrators protest against Trump’s renaming of the the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on 20 December 2025 in Washington DC.Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to remove former President Donald Trump’s name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Beatty brought the complaint in her role as an ex‑officio trustee on the center’s board, arguing the board’s vote to rename the institution violated federal law.
The suit contends that the Kennedy Center’s renaming is a "flagrant violation" because federal statute and congressional intent designate the Center as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, and any name change requires congressional approval.
"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. Unless and until this Court intervenes, Defendants will continue to defy Congress and thwart the law for improper ends," the complaint states.
Beatty also alleges procedural misconduct during the board vote: she says she was muted on a video call and prevented from speaking to register her opposition. She is represented by the Washington Litigation Group and Democracy Defenders Action.
Board Response And Reaction
The Trump administration and Kennedy Center officials have said the board "voted unanimously" to adopt the new name, the "Trump-Kennedy Center," and workers reportedly replaced signage on the building’s exterior. The Kennedy Center later confirmed the vote to The Washington Post.
White House spokesperson Liz Huston told ABC News that Mr. Trump had "stepped up and saved the old Kennedy Center," framing the change as a positive restoration. Critics, however, have questioned the legality of the renaming.
Joe Kennedy III, the former Massachusetts congressman and grandnephew of John F. Kennedy, posted on X that the center is "a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law. It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial," arguing the federal statute forbids such a change without Congress.
Context
Supporters of the renaming point to the board’s vote and the administration’s statements; opponents say a statutory protection and congressional authority over federal memorials make the change unlawful. The renaming is part of broader actions by Mr. Trump since taking office, including appointing himself chair of the center, replacing the previously bipartisan board, and shifting programming emphasis toward patriotic themes.
The lawsuit asks the court to intervene and restore compliance with federal law, potentially reversing the renaming and any related actions taken by the board or administration.
