The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. has removed President Trump’s name from its exterior, following a federal judge’s order. The removal occurred after an appeals court declined to pause the ruling, which found that the venue acted unlawfully when it added Trump’s name to the building.
Background
The installation of Trump’s name to the building, which was named for assassinated President John F. Kennedy, struck a deep symbolic chord among residents who’ve cherished the center as a cultural hub in the deep-blue city. The center took steps last week to reverse the change in some places but kept the president’s name on the building as it sought to stave off compliance with the ruling.
On Friday, crowds had gathered to stake out the removal as crews began to erect scaffolding in front of the venue’s facade. Some protestors shouted chants of ‘Take it down,’ and at one point, called the workers ‘heroes.’ A little after 3 a.m. Saturday, workers appeared to be removing letters, according to video shot through a small opening in the scaffolding.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and an ex-officio trustee of the board, quickly launched a legal challenge against the name change. On Saturday, Beatty posted a celebratory video on social media of herself doing a dance popularized by Trump to ‘YMCA’ by The Village People.
Trump’s Efforts to Reshape Washington, D.C.
In Trump’s second term, the venue has continued to serve as a vehicle for him to elevate work that aligns with his cultural preferences. He hosted the Kennedy Center Honors in December and the center hosted the premiere of first lady Melania Trump’s documentary. And last week, the center hosted the final round of Trump’s national civics contest for high school students.
In his effort to reshape Washington, D.C., Trump has also paved over the White House Rose Garden to create a Mar-a-Lago-esque patio, demolished the East Wing to make room for a massive ballroom, and changed the color of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. He’s also launched efforts to build a golf course, construct the tallest arch in the world on a traffic circle across from Arlington National Cemetery, and put a sculpture garden along the Potomac River.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
