A Kennedy Center board member sued President Donald Trump in an effort to have his name removed from the iconic performing arts venue.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in federal court by Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, who serves as an ex officio trustee of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Beatty is seeking to undo a controversial board vote taken on Dec. 18 that moved to rebrand the venue, a decision she argues was never within the trustees’ power to make.
In her complaint via The Hill, Beatty names Trump, along with several allies he installed on the Kennedy Center board earlier this year after reshaping its leadership. The filing argues that the vote to change the building’s name is legally invalid because the Kennedy Center was established by Congress, and only Congress has the authority to alter its name in law.
According to the suit, the board’s action went beyond internal governance and crossed into territory reserved for lawmakers. The Kennedy Center is not just another arts institution; it is a national memorial created by statute, and Beatty argues that any attempt to rename it must be approved by Congress, not decided in a boardroom.
The complaint seeks to block any rebranding tied to the vote, including changes to signage, official materials, and digital platforms. Beatty is also asking the court to formally void the Dec. 18 decision before further steps are taken.
In a statement released by the Washington Litigation Group, which is representing Beatty alongside Democracy Defenders Action, the Ohio congresswoman did not mince words about the process that led to the vote.
“This entire process has been a complete disgrace to this cherished institution and the people it serves,” Beatty said, continuing: “These unlawful actions must be blocked before any further damage is done.”
The lawsuit adds another layer of tension to an already turbulent period for the Kennedy Center, which has been at the center of political attention since Trump moved earlier this year to install loyalists on the board. The Dec. 18 meeting itself has become a point of dispute. Beatty has alleged that she was muted during the call and prevented from speaking before the vote, pushing back on claims that the decision was unanimous.
The case also names Kennedy Center officials and trustees tied to the rebranding effort. Reporting on the filing indicates that executive director Richard Grenell is among those listed as defendants.
At stake is not only the name on the building but also the balance of power between Congress and the trustees who oversee the center’s operations. The court will now have to decide whether the board overstepped its authority by attempting to change the name of a venue Congress explicitly designated as the national memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
For now, the lawsuit puts the rebranding effort on uncertain footing. Until a judge weighs in, the future of the Kennedy Center’s name, and Trump’s connection to it, remains tied up in a courtroom rather than settled on the steps of the famous riverside venue.
Some performers have stated that ticket sales are down since Trump politicized the venue, naming Richard Grenell to serve as interim executive director. Several entertainers subsequently disassociated themselves from the Kennedy Center. The 2025 Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, held earlier this month, was hosted by Trump, marking the first time a president hosted the event.
