Workers removed President Donald Trump’s name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington early Saturday, fulfilling a federal judge’s ruling that the center could not be renamed without congressional approval. The operation began shortly after 3 a.m. local time, following delays caused by severe weather, and lasted about 30 minutes as letters spelling out Trump’s name were taken down from the building’s facade.

The center, located along the Potomac River and originally opened in 1971 as a tribute to the late President John F. Kennedy, became the focus of a legal and political controversy after its board, chaired by Trump, voted last December to rename it The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. The board cited the former president’s role in securing $257 million in funding for renovations as justification for adding his name. Workers installed the new signage the day after the vote.

The renaming provoked widespread opposition, including the withdrawal of multiple performers from scheduled events. Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio, an ex officio member of the center’s board, filed a lawsuit challenging the move as unlawful. On May 29, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that only Congress has the authority to rename the venue, referencing the 1964 legislation that designated the center as a tribute to Kennedy and emphasized that the board could not unilaterally alter the name. The judge found that affixing Trump’s name relegated President Kennedy’s legacy to secondary status.

Following that ruling, Judge Cooper set a deadline of midnight Friday for the removal of Trump’s name from the building, its website, and other official materials. Despite a late request from the Department of Justice for a brief extension, citing safety concerns due to thunderstorms, the judge refused to delay the order. The appeals court also denied the government’s request to pause the removal while the case progressed.

The removal attracted a mixed crowd, including opponents who saw the act as a restoration of tradition and supporters who viewed the president’s name as a symbol of bipartisan achievement. Some onlookers gathered in the vicinity and streamed the event live online, while a few Trump supporters expressed their belief that the name addition was appropriate.

Trump and his allies have framed the renaming as recognition of his historic contributions to the institution, and the Justice Department argued that taking the name down could jeopardize fundraising from donors motivated by its association with Trump. Nevertheless, Judge Cooper dismissed claims of irreparable harm, noting that the center had already begun reverting materials to the original name, including removing Trump’s name from social media accounts and signage.

The dispute forms part of a broader effort by Trump to reshape Washington’s cultural and political landscape, including changes to the Kennedy Center’s board and aesthetic modifications to the building. In February, Trump announced a planned two-year closure of the center for extensive renovations, a decision also challenged in court.

With the removal of Trump’s name now complete, the board has indicated plans to appeal the ruling, but the ongoing legal proceedings highlight the complexities involved in altering the identity of a landmark institution rooted in congressional authorization. The Kennedy Center continues to operate under its original mission as a national memorial to President Kennedy and a premier performing arts venue.