The Kennedy Center is reportedly moving forward with a new fundraising initiative honoring President Donald Trump, even after workers removed his name from the exterior of the iconic performing arts complex over the weekend following a federal court ruling.
According to Roma Daravi, the center’s vice president of public relations, the newly established Trump Kennedy Center Fund is designed to recognize Trump’s contributions to the institution while supporting its broader mission.
Daravi told The Hill that the fund “is intended to recognize” Trump’s “significant contributions and dedication to America’s premier cultural center, while furthering our founding mission like never before.”
The announcement comes amid an ongoing legal and political dispute surrounding the center’s governance, name, and future direction. CBS News first reported Sunday that the endowment was being created. The White House was also contacted for comment.
The development follows a court-ordered removal of Trump’s name from the building itself. On Saturday, workers took down signage bearing the president’s name from the exterior of the performing arts center after a ruling from U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper.
The dispute stems from a challenge to the center’s renaming as “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
Court filings show the Trump administration complied with the ruling. According to the documents, compliance was confirmed around 11 a.m. EDT Saturday after Cooper granted a 12-hour extension requested by the administration due to weather-related concerns.
The controversy traces back to changes made at the center last year. President Trump removed the institution’s leadership and appointed new trustees, who later selected him as chair of the board.
In December, the board voted to add Trump’s name to the center, which originally opened in 1971 as a memorial dedicated to former President John F. Kennedy.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who serves as an ex officio member of the board, challenged those actions in court. Beatty filed suit seeking to block both the renaming effort and a planned two-year closure of the center for renovations. That closure had been scheduled to begin on July 5.
Judge Cooper ultimately ruled in Beatty’s favor on both issues.
The judge determined that Congress, which originally dedicated the center to Kennedy, is the only body with the authority to change its official name. Cooper also concluded that the board improperly approved the planned closure for renovations.
As a result, Trump’s name was removed from the building, but the creation of the separate endowment appears to provide another avenue for honoring the president’s role at the institution.
Center officials said the new fund will focus on raising private money to supplement the facility’s existing financial resources.
According to an official, the endowment is expected to help augment the approximately $257 million in congressional funding already allocated to the center.
Officials also emphasized that the Trump Kennedy Center Fund is separate from the institution’s existing endowment structure. The center currently lists a wide range of donors and foundations among its financial supporters, with contribution levels ranging from more than $50,000 to more than $1 million.
While the legal battle over the center’s name has produced a significant court ruling, the establishment of a Trump-focused endowment ensures that debate over the president’s legacy at the nation’s premier performing arts venue is unlikely to fade anytime soon.
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