Christopher Cooper

“The renaming of the Center coincided with declines in revenue and contributions, as artists cancelled performances, the Washington National Opera ended its 50-year residency, and ticket sales and viewership of the Kennedy Center Honors broadcast dropped precipitously. The Board also has access to the $257 million that Congress appropriated for necessary capital improvements,”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Cooper wrote that the renaming of the Center coincided with declines in revenue and contributions and noted the Board has access to $257 million Congress appropriated for capital improvements.

“Linguistic gymnastics cannot extricate the Kennedy Center's Board from an operative judicial order or the governing statute it was designed to enforce,”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Judge Cooper wrote in Tuesday's ruling that linguistic gymnastics cannot extricate the board from an operative judicial order or the governing statute.

“The Court may not license a violation of those authorities under threat that some unidentified donors will withhold their largesse if the Board is not allowed to have its way. It can even less reward a decision by Board members, including the Chair, to curb the Center's fundraising efforts because they cannot abide statutory restrictions on displaying his name,”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Cooper's ruling stated the court may not license a violation under threat that unidentified donors will withhold contributions.

“government offered ‘no proof that current or future donations hinge on President Trump’s name being on the building’ and ‘no competent evidence that removing the Trump name would prevent the Center from fulfilling its artistic mission, as it has done for the last sixty years,’”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Cooper wrote that the government offered no proof that donations hinge on Trump's name being on the building and no competent evidence that removing the name would prevent the Center from fulfilling its artistic mission.

“current or future donations hinge on President Trump's name being on the building.”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Judge Cooper said the Kennedy Center failed to provide evidence that current or future donations hinge on Trump's name being on the building.

“It limited such memorials and donor recognitions to discrete (and discreet) areas, so as not to detract from the Center’s function as an ongoing memorial to President Kennedy. The current Board’s apparent disagreement with that approach does not change the law,”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Cooper wrote that Congress limited memorials and donor recognitions at the Kennedy Center to discrete areas so as not to detract from its function as a memorial to President Kennedy.

“Simply put, Defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing. The board resolution bucks a federal court order and a statute Congress enacted,”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the board cannot install memorials for President Trump at the Kennedy Center without Congress's blessing.

“beside the point for present purposes.”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Cooper wrote that the Board's access to appropriated funds was beside the point for present purposes.

“The renaming of the Center coincided with declines in revenue and contributions, as artists cancelled performances, the Washington National Opera ended its 50-year residency, and ticket sales and viewership of the Kennedy Center Honors broadcast dropped precipitously,”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Cooper wrote that the renaming of the center coincided with declines in revenue and contributions as artists cancelled performances and the opera ended its residency.

“Predictions of future actions by the Board in response to being told no therefore cannot concern the Court.”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Cooper's ruling stated that predictions of future board actions in response to being told no cannot concern the court.

“drama at the Kennedy Center continues”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Judge Cooper lamented in his ruling that the drama at the Kennedy Center continues despite a permanent injunction and laws to the contrary.

“Congress had other ideas for the Kennedy Center.”

Christopher Cooper · said 2026-09-15 · reported 2026-09-15

Cooper wrote that while cultural institutions often honor big donors by naming buildings after them, Congress had other ideas for the Kennedy Center.

“I don’t think it’s to anybody’s political benefit to be tapped as the person who was in charge of Helene recovery – Democrat, Republican, Green, Libertarian – doesn’t matter,”

Christopher Cooper · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-24

Christopher Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University, said being tapped as the person in charge of Helene recovery is not to anybody's political benefit.

“People … in western North Carolina are fairly united that there wasn’t enough done and that Helene relief has been more of a failure than a victory. The question is who they blame for that.”

Christopher Cooper · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-24

Christopher Cooper said people in western North Carolina are fairly united that Helene relief has been more of a failure than a victory and the question is who they blame.