A federal judge blocks an effort to add President Donald Trump’s name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ruling that the venue’s naming cannot be changed through unilateral action by a board. Multiple outlets report that the judge—identified as Christopher Cooper by MSNBC and as Casey Cooper by other sources—says Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name and only Congress has the authority to change it. The ruling also holds that the center cannot bear another formal name or public memorial based on the board’s decision without congressional action. The cases described focus on whether the Kennedy Center board can formally attach Trump’s name to the institution or its public-facing identity. As presented in the reports, the judge concludes that the board lacks the legal power to rename the center or create a memorial designation tied to the president through its own authority. The decisions cited are aimed at stopping the proposed naming change, though the reports do not describe any further remedial steps or appeals in detail.