The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington no longer includes the name of President Donald J. Trump after a ruling by a DC district court judge in a lawsuit filed by central Ohio Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. Joyce Beatty prevailed in federal court after failing to persuade members of the Kennedy Center board to remove the Trump name in a tense meeting at the White House today. NBC4’s Colleen Marshall got exclusive details about that closed-door meeting.
According to Marshall, the court ordered members of the board to not only allow Beatty to attend their next meeting but to allow her to speak. The meeting was set at the White House where board chair Donald Trump could preside, which followed an earlier online meeting where Beatty’s microphone was muted to prevent her from speaking. Beatty stated that this suppression of her voice is what motivated her to fight, emphasizing that as a board member, she had a right to express her opinion.
Beatty described the environment of the White House meeting, noting that the board members were all appointed by President Trump and had voted unanimously to rename the facility the Trump Kennedy Center. She also noted the presence of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson at the table. Beatty argued to the board and to Trump that renaming the Kennedy Memorial was unlawful, asserting that because it is the only living memorial named after a president, only Congress had the authority to change the name.
Expressing her views on the political climate, Beatty suggested that a growing number of Congress members are pushing back against the administration, driven by a desire to resist autocratic tendencies. She shared her experience of standing outside the Kennedy Center overnight last weekend to witness the removal of the name, describing it as a moment of justice.
The board is currently appealing the decision to remove the name, arguing that they do not want to return the funds raised under the Trump Kennedy Center branding. For now, the name is obscured by a tarp, preventing it from being seen. NBC4 will continue to cover the Kennedy Center controversy and Congresswoman Beatty’s other legislative activities.
