A federal judge has denied a last-minute request to keep President Donald Trump's name on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, clearing the way for its removal.
The decision, issued late Friday, ends a legal battle that had sought to preserve the former president's association with the prestigious Washington institution. The Kennedy Center's board voted earlier this year to remove Trump's name from its facilities, citing his role in the January 6 Capitol riot and subsequent efforts to undermine democratic institutions.
Trump's legal team argued that the removal violated his First Amendment rights and would cause irreparable harm to his reputation. However, the judge ruled that the Kennedy Center, as a private nonprofit, had the right to make its own decisions about naming and branding.
The removal process is expected to begin immediately, with workers set to take down signs and plaques bearing Trump's name. The decision has drawn mixed reactions, with supporters of the move praising it as a stand against political extremism, while critics decry it as an act of political censorship.
The Kennedy Center has not commented on the timeline for the removal but confirmed that it will proceed as planned.