The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts missed a court-ordered deadline Friday evening to remove President Donald Trump's name from its building. The Department of Justice had requested a 12-hour extension, until noon on Saturday, June 13, 2026, citing safety concerns for workers due to thunderstorms in the Washington, D.C. area.

A federal appeals court denied the Department of Justice's request for an administrative stay of the order requiring the name removal. This decision followed a last-minute plea from the Trump administration to block the removal of Trump's name from the prominent performing arts center.

By late Friday night, crews were observed on scaffolding near the section of the Kennedy Center bearing Trump's name. Although the lettering had not yet been removed, work was still expected to conclude by Saturday morning. The government's filing indicated that bad weather had delayed the process, presenting safety concerns for the workers tasked with the removal.

In earlier filings with the D.C. Circuit, the Trump administration argued that removing the name would negatively impact fundraising, hinder necessary repairs, and potentially confuse the public. The administration contended that President Trump was uniquely positioned to both oversee building repairs and solicit operational funds, suggesting the center could face financial and structural collapse if the name was removed.

Earlier on Friday, a lower court judge had denied the Department of Justice's initial request to lift the order mandating the name's removal. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper stated that the Trump administration had not sufficiently demonstrated irreparable harm should they comply with the order. Judge Cooper also pointed out that the administration's prior actions, such as removing Trump's name from the Kennedy Center's website, weakened their argument of facing irreparable injury.

President Trump's name has already been removed from the Kennedy Center's website and YouTube page. The legal proceedings underscore the ongoing efforts to comply with the court's directive regarding the prominent naming on the building.

The original court order stemmed from a federal judge's ruling that required the removal of President Trump's name from the institution. The administration's appeals and requests for stays highlight the legal and logistical challenges involved in complying with such mandates, particularly when facing external factors like weather.

This situation raises questions about the permanence of such dedications and the legal processes involved in their potential reversal. The ongoing efforts to complete the removal, despite the missed deadline and the government's appeals, indicate a continued push towards fulfilling the court's order.