WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The Kennedy Center is beginning the process of removing references to President a week after a federal judge ruled that his name had been to the performing arts center.
Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center鈥檚 vice president of public relations, said in a statement to The Associated Press that 鈥渨e are complying with the court鈥檚 order while evaluating all legal options to preserve this revitalization and recognize President Trump鈥檚 leadership.鈥�
In a Thursday memo to staff from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel, the institution’s lawyers said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as 鈥淭he John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or 鈥淜ennedy Center.鈥�
The changes, the memo said, must be completed by June 12.
In a May 29 , U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper also blocked the administration from closing the cultural and arts venue for major renovations that had been planned to start in July.
Hours after the ruling, Trump said he was backing away from the revamp and making arrangements to relinquish control to Congress of what, until the Republican president鈥檚 second term, had been known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The next day, Trump on social media branded Cooper as 鈥渁n anti Trump Hater鈥� and predicted that the performing arts center that he wanted will 鈥渟oon be closed, probably never to open again.鈥�
Clearly angered by his latest legal setback, he said it was 鈥渋mpossible for me to be treated fairly,鈥� tying Cooper鈥檚 ruling to earlier losses, including the Supreme Court鈥檚 rejection in February of his .
The removal marked a setback in the president鈥檚 second-term plans to remake many of Washington鈥檚 landmarks 鈥� and add new ones.
On Thursday, his administration said renovations had been completed on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, painting the bottom what Trump has called 鈥淎merican flag blue.鈥� The to build a large ballroom, and Trump between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
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Associated Press writer Hillel Italie in New York contributed to this report. Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C.
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