(CNN) — The Kennedy Center鈥檚 general counsel ordered staff on Thursday to remove President Donald Trump鈥檚 name from the building by June 12, according to a memo obtained by CNN, in order to comply with a recent court order.
Staff were also instructed to immediately update some Kennedy Center documentation 鈥� including their email signatures and marketing materials 鈥� to remove Trump鈥檚 name, according to the memo.
鈥淭o comply with this order, you must immediately change email signatures, letterhead, and other documents to reflect the name as 鈥楾he John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,鈥� or 鈥楰ennedy Center.鈥� Other changes, such as to templates and forms, signage, brochures, and website pages, must be completed no later than Friday, June 12, 2026,鈥� the general counsel wrote in the memo, which was first reported by The New York Times.
The directive is a blow to the president鈥檚 bid to control the performing arts center and his broader effort to put his stamp on the nation鈥檚 capital. His began in the early days of his second term, when he gutted the existing board and installed loyalists.
鈥淲e are complying with the court鈥檚 order while evaluating all legal options to preserve this revitalization and recognize President Trump鈥檚 leadership,鈥� Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations for the Kennedy Center, said in a statement.
When asked for comment on the memo, the White House referred CNN to Trump鈥檚 Truth Social posts responding to last week鈥檚 court ruling. A federal judge from temporarily closing its doors for a yearslong renovation and said its board violated the law when it added Trump鈥檚 name to the historic performing arts venue.
US District Judge Casey Cooper concluded that the law establishing the center 鈥渕akes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board鈥檚 unilateral say-so.鈥�
鈥淐ongress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it,鈥� Cooper wrote in his 94-page opinion.
He gave officials two weeks to remove any signage that includes Trump鈥檚 name and update its website to remove all references to the name 鈥淭rump Kennedy Center鈥� or the 鈥淒onald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.鈥�
Shortly after the ruling, Trump signaled he was moving away from his focus on the arts center, suggesting he would be transferring control to Congress. (Since its founding, the executive branch has had oversight over the board of trustees while Congress has been responsible for annual appropriations for its operations and maintenance.)
鈥淚 have instructed the Department of Commerce to make all necessary arrangements with Congress to allow a full and complete transfer of this Institution, giving them the responsibility for its Operation, Maintenance, and Management,鈥� Trump wrote in a Truth Social post last week.
He added that while he was being treated 鈥渦nfairly,鈥� he had 鈥渘o interest in continuing鈥� unless he was 鈥渇ree鈥� to do what he wanted to do.
The center鈥檚 gift shop had recently put all 鈥淜ennedy Center鈥�-branded merchandise on sale 鈥� 30% off ahead of the expected closure. A map in the parking garage was affixed with a 鈥淭rump Kennedy Center鈥� label. Programs for productions were emblazoned with 鈥淭rump.鈥�
But some of the fixtures had yet to include Trump鈥檚 name, with concession cups, banners in the grand foyer and digital tickets still bearing the original name.
In an Oval Office appearance Thursday, Trump revealed his latest proposed project for Washington, DC 鈥� what he called a 鈥減romenade鈥� to connect the Lincoln Memorial with the Potomac River.
鈥淭hey want to call it the Trump promenade,鈥� he told reporters. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 know if I want to do that, but it鈥檚 going to be beautiful.鈥�
CNN has asked the White House for additional details on the proposal.
This story has been updated with additional information.
The-CNN-Wire
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