A judge ruled in late May that Trump’s name must be removed from the cultural institution.

Yes, there’s a livestream to watch Donald Trump’s name being removed from the Kennedy Center

A judge ruled in late May that Trump's name must be removed from the cultural institution.

By Marina Watts

Marina Watts

Marina Watts is a news writer for with seven years experience covering entertainment, pop culture and celebrity news. Her previous work appears in PEOPLE, Bustle and Newsweek.

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June 12, 2026 6:26 p.m. ET

Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., in May 2026; the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in June 2026. Credit:

Aaron Schwartz/AFP via Getty; Anna Moneymaker/Getty

- There's a livestream to watch Donald Trump's name being removed from the Kennedy Center.

- On May 29, a judge ordered his name to be removed from the cultural institution.

- The president took over the Kennedy Center early in his second term and named himself chairman, which caused artist to cancel performances in protest.

Donald Trump's name is being removed from the Kennedy Center — and there's a livestream for it.

Weeks after a judge ordered that Trump's name be removed from the legally protected commemorative venue — and halted plans to close the center for a two-year restoration — the president's name is finally being taken down. On Friday afternoon, contractors placed scaffolding on the building to kick-start the removal, which was ordered to be completed by midnight.

For those interested, MS NOW is currently streaming the tear-down.

The decision to remove the president's name was made on May 29, which would have been John F. Kennedy's 109th birthday.

The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in June 2026.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty

Roma Daravi, president of public relations for the Kennedy Center, told * *at the time, "We are confident that on appeal the court will uphold the board's will to recognize President Trump's historic contributions to our nation's cultural center."

As for the planned closure of the restoration Trump proposed, Daravi noted that they would "review the decision carefully," adding that the Kennedy Center needs "urgent and significant restoration."

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The building, named the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, was dedicated as a "living memorial" of the late president in 1964, who died in 1963. Per its website, its goal is to unite artists and audiences "through performances, education, and create experiences that unify communities throughout the country."

Trump took over the Kennedy Center early in his second term, naming himself chairman in February 2025 and appointing his own board members who shared his agenda. "It is a Great Honor to be Chairman of The Kennedy Center, especially with this amazing Board of Trustees," Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. "We will make The Kennedy Center a very special and exciting place!"

Since his takeover, artists have canceled performances in protest. He placed his name on the building in December 2025.

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When Trump placed his name on the cultural institution, members of the Kennedy family spoke out in opposition. Maria Shriver, the late president's niece, wrote on social media, "It is beyond comprehension that this sitting president has sought to rename this great memorial dedicated to President Kennedy."

She added, "It is beyond wild that he would think adding his name in front of President Kennedy's name is acceptable. It is not."

Close-up of the scaffolding of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in June 2026.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty

Kerry Kennedy, also the former president's niece, declared on X: "Three years and one month from today, I'm going to grab a pickax and pull those letters off that building, but I'm going to need help holding the ladder. Are you in? Applying for my carpenter's card today, so it'll be a union job!!!"

Months later, Kerry followed up, writing, "Perhaps I won't need that pickaxe after all." "What a great way to celebrate you on your birthday, Uncle Jack!"

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