WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper issued a ruling last month blocking the Trump administration from closing the Kennedy Center for renovations until 2028. Cooper also directed the administration to provide a status report detailing construction plans, board actions, and other developments by Friday. The injunction followed a lawsuit filed by Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio.

Cooper required the administration to outline plans for public access and ongoing operations after July 5. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit denied a Justice Department petition to temporarily halt the district court's order.

Kennedy Center Executive Director Matt Floca stated in a court filing that the board plans to meet in mid-July. The board will vote on three operational options, which include a full closure for repairs, a partial closure with limited programming, or phased closures with more programming. Kennedy Center management stated it plans to maintain public access after July 5 while limiting stage performances. Government lawyers stated the center intends to proceed with capital repairs on the building.

Signage bearing Trump's name was removed from the Kennedy Center facade to comply with the court order. A June 13 court filing from the Trump administration confirmed the removal of physical signage, website references, and trademark applications containing the president's name. Federal courts denied last-minute requests to keep the president's name affixed to the building during ongoing legal proceedings. Administration officials also removed references to Trump from email signatures, brochures, press releases, and contracts. Photographs taken on Friday showed a tarp covering the section of the facade where the president's name was previously mounted.

Justice Department attorneys requested additional time from the court to respond to Beatty's filings. Beatty's legal team criticized the decision to cover the building facade with a tarp and requested an order for weekly updates on steps taken to resume programming and proposed establishing a discovery schedule. Beatty's attorneys argued that the center could have attempted to extend the run of the play Shear Madness.

Justice Department attorneys stated, "The Court's order did not affirmatively require the Board to reschedule programming that had previously been canceled or to seek new programming." Beatty's attorneys stated, "Plaintiff is not asking the Court to pick and choose what programming Defendants present, or to micromanage operations." Cooper determined that the Board of Trustees, which includes administration officials and presidential allies, exceeded its authority by unilaterally renaming the institution. Cooper said, "Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it."

Trump appointed White House advisers, family members of administration officials, donors, and supporters to the Kennedy Center board early in his second term. The board unanimously elected Trump as chair and voted in December to change the center's official name to include his name. Trump posted on Truth Social that he would work with Congress to return control of the institution to legislators.