Trump's name remains on Kennedy Center as appeals court weighs emergency request

By Fox News · Fox News

The Kennedy Center board on Friday asked a federal appeals court to temporarily block a judge’s order requiring references to President Donald Trump ’s name to be removed from the institution’s signage and official materials, as signage bearing Trump’s name remained visible on the building’s facade late Friday afternoon. In an emergency motion filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the board requested both a stay pending appeal and an immediate administrative stay, arguing that physical changes to the building should not occur before appellate judges review the dispute. The filing asks the court to issue an administrative stay by 7 p.m. Friday. Fox News Digital observed Friday afternoon that Trump's name remained mounted on the Kennedy Center facade as of 5:30 p.m. ET, with scaffolding erected around portions of the signage. Earlier Friday, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper denied the board's request to pause enforcement of his ruling while the appeal proceeds, finding that the defendants had not demonstrated either a likelihood of success on appeal or irreparable harm. OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE WITH TIES TO ANTI-TRUMP CONSPIRACY THEORY HIT WITH MISCONDUCT COMPLAINT The Kennedy Center board argued in its emergency filing that removing and potentially reinstalling signage would force it to incur costs that could not be recovered if it ultimately prevails on appeal. The board also argued that removing Trump's name could impair fundraising efforts and create public confusion if the Center's name changes again following a successful appeal. The motion further contends that the case raises significant questions regarding the board's authority and whether Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, had standing to bring the lawsuit. The latest filing stems from Cooper's May 29 ruling that Congress, not the Kennedy Center board, has authority over the institution's name. The judge ordered the removal of Trump's name from physical signage, digital mater…