The Kennedy Center board voted Thursday to seek a stay of a federal judge's May 29 ruling that Trump's name was illegally added to the performing arts venue. The formal request was filed late Thursday, just before a Friday deadline to remove the name. Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that only Congress could change the center's name and blocked planned renovations.
The board's move reverses a June 4 memo instructing staff to use the original name. The website has already dropped Trump's name. Critics called the effort desperate, noting the administration waited nearly two weeks. The lawsuit was filed by Rep. Joyce Beatty. Trump ousted previous leadership early in his second term and appointed a board that renamed the facility the Trump Kennedy Center.