A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the Kennedy Center's latest attempt to put President Trump's name on the performing arts center violated his earlier order blocking its renaming.
The big picture: The order came just before the Kennedy Center's board, now composed of Trump loyalists, is set to weigh shutting down the building for renovations that members argue must include Trump being "appropriately recognized" on the structure.
Driving the news: While Trump allies have argued the latest attempt to recognize Trump does not violate the law, U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper said "[l]inguistic gymnastics cannot extricate the Kennedy Center's Board from an operative judicial order or the governing statute it was designed to enforce."
- Cooper ordered for Trump's name to be removed from the building in May, saying only Congress could change the name of the center that memorializes President John F. Kennedy.
- The judge blocked the center from putting an inscription that read "renovated and restored by Donald J. Trump" on the main building or renaming the campus the "President Donald J. Trump Plaza."
- Cooper wrote, "Simply put, Defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress's blessing."
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.