A judge clears the way for Trump's name to be removed from the Kennedy Center

NPR | By Chloe Veltman,

Ailsa Chang

Published June 12, 2026 at 4:12 PM EDT

A federal judge on Friday denied an appeal by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' board of trustees for a stay on the removal of President Trump's name from the building.

Chloe Veltman

Chloe Veltman is a correspondent on NPR's Culture Desk.

Ailsa Chang

Ailsa Chang is an award-winning journalist who hosts All Things Considered along with Ari Shapiro, Audie Cornish, and Mary Louise Kelly. She landed in public radio after practicing law for a few years.

See stories by Ailsa Chang

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