WASHINGTON — The Justice Department told a federal court shortly before a judge’s Saturday noon deadline that President Donald Trump’s name had been “removed” from “all physical signage on the Kennedy Center building and grounds.”
The filing came after the Trump administration made a late effort to get the court to halt the removal before a midnight Friday deadline.
Government lawyers had asked for a brief 12-hour extension, pushing the deadline to noon on June 13. In the filing, they said the work had been slowed by thunderstorms in Washington, D.C., which created safety risks for workers.
A federal judge in Washington had ordered the administration to confirm by noon Saturday that it had followed the court’s directive to take Trump’s name off the site, while granting the short extension.
That extra time was allowed after a federal appeals court on Friday night rejected the Justice Department’s request for an administrative stay of the order requiring Trump’s name to be removed from the Washington performing arts center.
In a previous filing to the D.C. Circuit, the administration contended that taking down Trump’s name could disrupt fundraising efforts, delay needed repairs and create confusion among the public.
“No one else other than President Trump would be in the position of both rebuilding the Building, and raising the money for its operation,” the filing stated, saying the performing arts center can be ” the envy of the World,” and arguing the building could suffer a “financial and structural collapse.”
Trump’s name has already been removed from the Kennedy Center’s website and YouTube page.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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