The hand-picked board at the Kennedy Center is making a last-minute effort to keep Donald Trump’s name on the facade of the performing arts venue. On Thursday, the board voted to seek a stay of U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper’s May 29 ruling, which declared that the president's name had been illegally affixed to the institution.
A federal judge had ordered the Washington arts institution to remove the name by Friday. In addition to seeking the stay, the board said it is appealing the order and challenging the ruling that blocks plans to close the decades-old performing arts venue.
This legal move marks a shift from a June 4 memo sent to staff. That document had previously instructed employees that email signatures, letterhead, and other documents must reflect the name as the Kennedy Center or The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.