Washington Post Exclusive-New photos show first look at Kennedy Center facade without Trump's name

[LetMyPeopleVote]

The images were taken from inside the tarp-covered scaffolding that has blocked the public’s view for more than a week.

Link to tweet

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/06/22/photos-show-trump-name-is-off-kennedy-center-building

New photos show that President Donald Trump’s name is indeed off the Kennedy Center, offering the first public look at the performing arts venue’s facade since crews removed the letters by court order.

The images were taken last week inside the tarp-covered scaffolding that has hidden the title of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the nine days since crews removed Trump’s name. The images were first provided to The Washington Post by the activist group Hands Off the Arts before being independently obtained and verified by The Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=&w=1440&impolicy=high_res

“This is the picture the Trump administration does not want anyone to see, so it’s all the more important … that people have an opportunity to witness when they’re winning,” said Mallory Miller, co-founder of Hands Off the Arts.

On June 12, a 14-member crew erected scaffolding to comply with a court-ordered deadline to remove Trump’s name. The workers missed the deadline, taking down the letters around 3 a.m. Saturday. The Kennedy Center’s lawyers confirmed in a court filing later that morning the work was done.

[Lovie777]

1. This is childish..................

the current administration act so immature besides incompetent and unqualified.

[paleotn]

11. In three short words, you've described this clown show perfectly.

[Ocelot II]

2. Doesn't look like there's much if any significant damage to the wall - so there's no excuse at all

to keep the tarp up for "repairs."

https://archive.is/v2LdV

[niyad]

3. So where is President Kennedy's name?

[doubleplusgood]

8. Yes, that should be the question here

It appears that Agent Orange is meeting the letter of the law - removing his name - but violating the spirit of the law, not letting anyone see it removed. And maybe removing Kennedy's name, too.

[canetoad]

15. It's there

I've posted below about the space between the decorative features (piano keys?), where tsf's name was and the original Kennedy signage below that. In the posted pix you can only see the very top of Kennedy's name as you are looking almost from directly above.

[bcbink]

17. Thank you

I see it now.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. This story makes me smile

Link to tweet

[onenote]

5. Maybe its a matter of perspective, but something looks off in the Post photos.

As is shown in the pre-removal photo, there are three rows of "blocks" all of relatively equal size and the original signage was on the third row and the Trump signage was added above it on the second row. But in the "behind the tarp" photos in the Post article, the rows of blocks don't appear to be of similar size and the original signage appears to be four rows down.

Again, maybe a matter of perspective.

[Drum]

6. Inconclusive.

[canetoad]

7. We're not actually seeing

In full, the facade tiles to which his name was affixed.



Under the decorative tiles there is a half row, then a full row of tiles. tsf's moniker was centred on the row below that - which is barely visible in the pix above. At least it doesn't look like the facade is totally ruined.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

9. Kennedy Center photos leak that Trump 'does not want anyone to see': report

trump is going to unhappy

Photographs smuggled out from behind tarp-covered scaffolding at the Kennedy Center reveal what President Donald Trump has spent nine days trying to hide.

— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-06-22T22:56:01Z

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-kennedy-center-2677078037

Photographs smuggled out from behind tarp-covered scaffolding at the Kennedy Center reveal what President Donald Trump has spent nine days trying to hide.

His name is gone.

The images, first obtained by activist group Hands Off the Arts and independently verified by The Washington Post, show two rows of blank square panels on the performing arts venue's marble facade, where Trump's name had been affixed since December.

"This is the picture the Trump administration does not want anyone to see, so it’s all the more important … that people have an opportunity to witness when they’re winning," said Mallory Miller, co-founder of Hands Off the Arts.

The name came down in the early morning hours of June 14. A 14-member crew completed the court-ordered removal around 3 a.m., hours past the judicial deadline. Rather than pull back the scaffolding and let the public see the results, the Kennedy Center left tarps and barricades up, with security guards blocking any view of the facade. A spokeswoman said the scaffolding "will remain up as crews address maintenance needs of the marble and soffit panels."

[Cha]

10. PEDO not happy is good for the Planet 🌎

TY ☮️💙🌊🕊️🕯️🌈

[calimary]

16. I don't care if he's not happy!

That tells me all the rest of us DID do the right thing! And HE’S the one who’s severely out-of-step.

[lame54]

12. The post has their own tarp up

[SpankMe]

13. His name is off the wall. How long to remove the Trump stench? n/t

[usonian]

14. The old one was OK

Oh WAIT, that's an artist's rendition.

Soon, we will have the Trump Memorial Library as well.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

18. Judge asks the Kennedy Center to explain tarps covering the building

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper also pressed the center to answer the core question about its future: Will it stay open during two years of renovations?

Judge asks the Kennedy Center to explain tarps covering the building
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper also pressed the center to answer the core question about its future: Will it stay open during two years of renovations?
www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...

— Jan McVicker (@jmcvicker.bsky.social) 2026-06-24T16:51:58.327Z

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/06/24/judge-asks-kennedy-center-explain-tarps-covering-building

Pilgrims have journeyed to the Kennedy Center over the past week and a half hoping to see proof that President Donald Trump’s name is gone from the building’s exterior. They’ve all left frustrated, many with the same question: Why is the tarp-covered scaffolding still up, 11 days after crews used it to take Trump’s name down?

Now a federal judge is asking the same thing — and has directed the Kennedy Center to give an answer.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper on Wednesday ordered the center’s board of trustees to file updates about the tarp-covered scaffolding and the center’s plans for maintaining operations and arts programming after July 5, the date it had intended to close for two years of renovations.

On May 29, Cooper ruled that the Trump-aligned trustees had illegally voted to rename the center, which Congress had exclusively named after the assassinated President John F. Kennedy, and ordered Trump’s name be erased from official materials within two weeks. On June 12, a 14-member crew erected scaffolding to comply with the deadline. The workers missed it, taking down the letters around 3 a.m. on June 13, and the center’s lawyers confirmed in a court filing later that morning that the work was done.

But the center left the scaffolding and tarps in place. Barricades staffed by security guards have kept people from approaching and blocked any view of the exterior.

In a statement last week, Kennedy Center spokeswoman Roma Daravi said the tarps and scaffolding “will remain up as crews address maintenance needs of the marble and soffit panels.”

On Monday, The Washington Post obtained photos showing the first public look at the facade since the name came down.

This judge is not happy