A three-judge panel of a U.S. appeals court rejects requests to pause a lower court order removing President Donald Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. Multiple outlets report that the Trump administration sought a stay while it pursues an appeal, arguing that keeping the name would prevent potential financial harm and other consequences. The appeals court denies the request for a stay, meaning Trump’s name must remain off the venue for now as the legal challenge continues.
The underlying case stems from a lawsuit brought by Joyce Beatty, a Democratic representative and a Kennedy Center board member. A U.S. district judge ordered that Trump’s name be removed, and the name was taken off the Kennedy Center’s facade and signage in June, according to coverage. The administration’s appeal challenges the district judge’s reasoning that only Congress has the authority to change the Kennedy Center’s branding. The latest appeals court ruling addresses only whether the removal order is temporarily halted during the appeal, not the merits of the branding dispute itself.
