A Democratic congresswoman has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the controversial renaming of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
## The Lawsuit
Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex-officio member of the Kennedy Center’s board, argues that adding President Donald Trump’s name requires an act of Congress because the original name was established by law. The suit calls the renaming effort “more reminiscent of authoritarian regimes than an American Republic.” It states: “This is a flagrant violation of the rule of law, and it flies in the face of our constitutional order. Congress intended the Center to be a living memorial to President Kennedy – and a crown jewel of the arts for all Americans, irrespective of party,” the suit reads.
## Board Vote and Renaming
The center’s board, handpicked by Trump, voted last week to change the institution’s name to the Trump-Kennedy Center. A day after the vote, Trump’s name was affixed to the center’s facade above President John F. Kennedy’s name.
## Virtual Meeting Dispute
The lawsuit alleges that during the meeting where the vote took place, which Beatty attended virtually, she was muted after she identified herself. Beatty “repeatedly attempted to unmute herself,” the suit says, but “found that she was unable to do so.” She received written notices that she would not be unmuted, preventing her participation. At the end of the meeting, board members falsely declared the vote unanimous. Beatty seeks a federal judge’s declaration that the legal name, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, remains unchanged and that any vote to alter it was null and void.
## Reactions and Context
Roma Daravi, the center’s vice president of public relations, told NBC News that Beatty was not a voting member of the board and was granted the “privilege” of listening to the meeting. Members of the Kennedy family and many Democratic lawmakers publicly opposed the renaming move and questioned its legality. Earlier this year, Trump shuffled the board of trustees, elected himself chair, and changed programming that effectively canceled some Pride gatherings. Trump had teased adding his name to the center, and GOP lawmakers had proposed renaming it after first lady Melania Trump.
## Key Takeaways
– Rep. Beatty sues over adding Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center, citing legal and constitutional violations.
– The board voted to rename the center, but the lawsuit argues the move is invalid without congressional action.
– Beatty claims she was muted during the virtual vote, preventing her participation.
The lawsuit marks a significant legal challenge to the Trump administration’s handling of the Kennedy Center’s name and raises questions about the authority of board decisions without congressional approval.
