Workers have started removing the name of United States President Donald Trump from the John F Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC following a court ruling
On Saturday, workers were seen on scaffolding in front of the iconic building, with a white awning being used to obscure the removal process
A day earlier, US District Judge Christopher Cooper rejected a request for a last-minute appeal by the center’s board backed by Trump to block the previous verdict ordering the president’s name to be removed
On May 29, Cooper ruled that the institution had been unlawfully renamed, indicating that only a legislation put forward by the US Congress can make such changes
He provided a 14-day deadline for the removal
During his decision on Friday, Cooper mentioned that “the perpetuation of ‘unlawful’ governmental action is rarely served by the public interest”
Trump, a real estate and development tycoon, established his career on the extensive branding of his name across different regions. He has executed this branding strategy with buildings, casinos, and golf courses
He has pursued a similar strategy during his presidency, renaming the US Institute of Peace that was discontinued to the Donald J Trump US Institute of Peace
The White House is pushing forward plans to immortalize Trump by depicting his image on a $250 bill marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signing
The US State Department has announced the release of special passports with Trump’s image and signature for this occasion
He has also undertaken numerous construction projects in the United States capital. One of these projects is the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to build an extensive ballroom
A challenge to this project by the National Trust for Historic Preservation was active in the federal courts
Trump populated the governing body of the Kennedy Center with his adherents upon his election
They approved in December the change of name and appended ‘Donald J Trump’ to the facade of the building shortly thereafter
This change prompted several artists to cancel their shows
Judge Cooper has also temporarily halted Trump’s plan to close the center for two years to make renovations
Trump reacted to that ruling by stating that he “had no interest in continuing” engagement with the institution