Trump's Name Removed from Kennedy Center; White House Hosts Controversial UFC Event

Donald Trump's name has been removed from the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., following a federal judge's ruling that only Congress could change the institution's official designation. The name, "The Donald J. Trump and" John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, had been added in December 2025 by a board recently populated with Trump's allies. The judge's decision, which also halted plans to close the center for renovations, mandated the removal of the 18 letters, restoring the building's original title on June 13, 2026.

Meanwhile, the White House is proceeding with a controversial Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event, "UFC Freedom 250," scheduled for June 14, 2026, on its South Lawn. The event, timed to coincide with President Trump's 80th birthday and America's 250th anniversary, faced a lawsuit from the Public Integrity Project, which argued it was an unlawful commercial venture on federal property. A federal judge on June 12, 2026, permitted the event to go forward, rejecting claims of corruption and impropriety regarding the use of the White House grounds for a private sporting spectacle. Critics, including some lawmakers, have raised concerns about the appropriateness of hosting a professional fight on the historic site and potential financial benefits to the President, who reportedly owns stock in UFC's parent company.