A federal judge ruled Friday that the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. cannot be renamed for President Donald Trump without approval from Congress, and ordered his name removed from the building within two weeks.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper wrote that the Trump administration violated the Kennedy Center's governing statute by renaming the center, installing signage with Trump's name on the front of the building, and altering the center's website.
"Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it," Cooper wrote.
Congress created the Kennedy Center in a federal statute in 1964, designating it as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy shortly after his assassination.
Trump announced in December that the center's Board of Trustees had voted unanimously to rename the building the Trump Kennedy Center. Workers added signage with his name shortly after. Trump also announced the center would close for two years beginning in July for major renovations.
Cooper also ruled against the planned closure, calling the board's March vote to close the center an ill-informed decision.
"The current record reveals that the Board rendered this ill-informed and seemingly preorda[ined]" decision, Cooper wrote, calling it a potential dereliction of the board's duty of prudence.
Trump responded Friday evening on social media, saying he no longer wants to be involved unless he is given full authority to act.
"Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this Institution back, physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey into 'NEVER NEVER LAND,'" Trump said.
He added that he intends to hand control back to Congress.
"Therefore, based on the fact that the Radical Left Democrats care more about opposing your favorite President, ME, than saving a dying Performing Arts Center, almost all of which lose large amounts of money throughout the Country, we are going to be working with Congress to transfer this failing Institution back to them so they can make a determination as to what to do with it," Trump said.
The board that voted on the renaming and closure is filled with Trump's hand-picked appointees. Trump himself now chairs the board.
