Board Votes

• A board largely appointed by Donald Trump has reportedly voted again to close the Kennedy Center to undergo renovations. • This follows a previous unanimous vote in May that was temporarily blocked by a U.S. district judge. • In a separate ruling, Judge Christopher Cooper ordered Trump's name to be removed from the building's facade, declaring the addition illegal since only Congress can change the institution's name.

• The Kennedy Center board voted on Thursday, August 13, 2026, to add President Donald Trump’s name to the building's facade. • The board also approved a two-year closure of the facility to facilitate substantial renovation work. • This decision marks a significant symbolic shift in the branding of the national performing arts center.

The center has until next week to present plan to judge who had blocked earlier rehab and name changeUS politics live – latest updatesThe board of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington is said to have voted once again to move forward with Donald Trump’s controversial plan to temporarily shutter the building for substantial renovations, as well as to inscribe the US president’s name on the facade of its building, despite a federal order for his name to be removed from the signage.The board – mostly handpicked, staunch allies of the president – voted “to close the Kennedy Center’s main building, while keeping a newer addition to the campus, known as the Reach, open for limited programming and to operate as an active memorial to John F Kennedy”, according to the New York Times, which was first to report the results. Continue reading...

Measure will also limit device use during passing periods, lunch and recess and block YouTube on district devicesSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe Los Angeles unified school district’s board passed a resolution on Tuesday to curb students’ classroom screen time for the upcoming school year, in the latest effort nationwide to address adverse effects from excessive device use.The measure, which passed 6-0 at a Tuesday school board meeting, will set daily and weekly screen time limits for students based on grade level, prohibit elementary and middle school students from using devices during passing periods, lunch and recess, and block use of YouTube on district devices, among other provisions. Continue reading...

Trustees approve Trump’s $257m ‘revitalization project’ to remake DC arts institution that president has taken overSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe Kennedy Center board of trustees unanimously voted on Monday in favor of a controversial plan to temporarily shutter the arts institution for renovations, rubber-stamping a $257m project initiated by Donald Trump to remake the arts institution in line with other grand plans for Washington DC.In a statement, the center said it had voted for “a comprehensive revitalization project” lasting two years that would follow an Independence Day celebration in July with “a grand re-opening to follow”. Continue reading...