Judge Upholds Order to Remove Trump's Name from Kennedy Center

The Lead

President Donald Trump's name is set to be removed from the facade of the Kennedy Center, an entertainment and cultural institution in Washington, DC, after a judge rejected a last-minute request to keep it in place.

The Court's Decision

US District Judge Christopher Cooper dismissed an effort by the centre's board, whose members were handpicked by Trump, to reverse a previous order taking his name off the building by Friday.

The Background

The saga is yet another example of Trump's effort to make changes to major sites and institutions across the nation's capital, on which he has sought to impose himself through a series of planned projects that include an enormous triumphal arch and a White House ballroom.

The Impact Analysis

Many of those efforts have faced legal challenges. Trump dismissed the centre's previous leadership and appointed a board that named him chairman. Cooper had ruled last month that the addition of Trump's name to the exterior of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was illegal and ordered its removal.

The Prediction

The centre's website and staff have been instructed to use the name 'The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' or 'Kennedy Center' in email signatures, letterhead and other documents, marking a significant shift away from Trump's influence on the institution.