President Donald Trump suffered another setback in his effort to remake an iconic Washington, D.C., venue in his own image. Since returning to the White House, the 80-year-old Republican has made it his mission to stamp his name and image across the nation’s capital. The John F. Kennedy Cent er for the Performing Arts was one of Trump’s main targets in the quest to attach his legacy to famous D.C. landmarks. President Donald Trump suffers another setback in his plan to take over the Kennedy Center. (Photo by Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images; Win McNamee/Getty Images) He replaced the Kennedy Center board with loyalists, and then slapped his name on the center originally dedicated to Kennedy. The rebranding was short-lived. A federal judge ordered Trump’s name removed, ruling the board violated a 1964 law honoring Kennedy. A federal judge blocked the short-lived rebranding by ordering Trump’s name removed from the 54-year-old building. ‘The Win’: Trump Tried to Bury His Kennedy Center Humiliation Under a Tarp, But a Viral Video Filmed Inside Just Made Sure He’ll Never Live This Down‘He’s Fuming’: Trump’s Last-Ditch Effort to Keep His Name on the Kennedy Center Fails as Workers Rip It Down — Then Fans Spot Another Humiliating Blow Workers began making the mandated changes on June 12, two days before Trump’s 80th birthday. Tarps were draped over the marble spots bearing the MAGA frontman’s family name. Rep. Joyce Beatty celebrated her courtroom victory over the Trump administration with a playful jab. After helping force the removal of Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center, the Ohio Democrat posted a video dancing to “Y.M.C.A.” while mimicking Trump’s signature moves. Supporters praised the viral moment. But Trump just received more bad news regarding the Kennedy Center. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (@repbeatty) The Barack Obama-appointed judge issued another ruling demanding more information about planned overhauls to the site. The Kennedy Center planned to close for two years starting July 4 to complete $250 million in renovations. But the judge has now halted Trump’s intended winding down of scheduled programs.  In the June 16 ruling, Cooper, 60, gave the administration a strict three-day deadline. They must submit plans detailing how public access, programming, and operations will continue after July 5. Back in February, the president announced that the Trump Kennedy Center would close on July 4th, 2026. He also revealed that construction of his “spectacular Entertainment Complex” would begin on the same day. Trump returned to the social media platform on May 29. He blasted Cooper and left-leaning political opponents over the decision to have his name taken down from the Kennedy Center.  “Unfortunately, Judge Cooper and the Radical Left would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it into something that everyone could be proud of,” he claimed. As Trump’s latest Kennedy Center courtroom loss made headlines, critics quickly weighed in on the courtroom loss. “He goes against every court order, you think this was the one he followed? I bet his name is still up, exactly why the scaffolding is there,” one person on X tweeted. Trump’s team BS’d a judge last night in asking for time to remove Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center. It was a delay tactic so the scaffolding and tarp could be ready in the wee hours to block the public’s view of the removal. Once the tarp was up the name came down in minutes. pic.twitter.com/8CUSQkuuzE— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 13, 2026 A second poster shouted out the last two Democratic presidents by suggesting, “Someone needs to start projecting pics of Obama and Biden on that tarp, and it will be down in no time.” Over on Threads, a poster stated, “The doors have been left accessible for a reason. He has no intention of revealing his failure and having people laugh at him. Spiteful, vindictive, and juvenile.”  Another outraged Trump detractor on the app added, “Why does such a simple thing like taking down that f—-ing tarp have to involve the court and take days and weeks!? This is ridiculous and awful!!!” “It’s time to grow up. Remove the tarp and the scaffold. Grow up and move on, move forward,” advised one Threads user. Someone also stated, “Regardless of party, this s–t is actually insane.” The Reflecting Pool is currently experiencing an algae outgrowth, indicating high pH conditions.Such a high pH is known to strip paint, potentially ruining Trump's $14M paint renovation. pic.twitter.com/O3KbmFpvwF— FactPost (@factpostnews) June 14, 2026 In addition to his judicial defeat over remodeling the Kennedy Center, Trump’s personal beautification initiative for DC has run into several embarrassing roadblocks over the last several months. The cost of a proposed White House ballroom has ballooned to a reported $600 million, while the destruction of the White House’s East Wing for the unfinished event space has left an eyesore on the complex.  Meanwhile, algae has overtaken the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool despite Trump’s $14 million makeover for the popular tourist attraction. Painting the pool’s bottom with so-called “American Flag Blue” paint backfired. The water has turned a murky green, and the new paint is already peeling. CNN independently collected a water sample and consulted a local pool store that regularly tests water to interpret the results. The analysis found phosphate levels far above the recommended range for preventing algae growth in a pool estimated to hold 6.5 million gallons. The findings suggest the pool’s ongoing discoloration may be more than just a cosmetic issue. ‘Actually Insane!’: Trump is Going to Explode Over Latest Kennedy Center Hit, as Judge Who Keeps Ruining His Plans Strikes Again With Bitter Blow ...read more read less