A new court filing has added a fresh layer to the ongoing conflict involving the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Lawyers for Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty submitted the filing on September 17, referencing recent comments made by President Donald Trump. During a press event in North Carolina, Trump said that the Trump administration should receive recognition for its work involving the center.
He added that without that recognition the building could close and eventually be “ripped down.” Trump made the comments one day after the Kennedy Center was closed to the public.
The filing also cited a photo circulating online that appeared to show Trump aboard Air Force One looking at a poster titled “Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED.” Reuters said it had not independently verified the photo. The image did not show the Kennedy Center actually being demolished.
The filing came as the legal battle continued over renovations and changes at the center. A federal judge had asked the administration to explain whether the planned closure and renovation violated a previous court order. Judge Christopher Cooper had earlier prohibited the center from shutting down for a two-year renovation under the earlier plan.
Cooper issued another order Thursday requiring the Kennedy Center to give at least 30 days’ notice before making major physical changes to the building. That includes any attempt to demolish it. Cooper said the requirement was intended to remove uncertainty after Trump’s recent comments and the sudden closure of the building.
The judge allowed the center to remain temporarily closed because officials said there were immediate safety concerns. He also ordered the center to provide additional information about the closure and planned work.
Around the same time, security fencing went up around the main building of the Kennedy Center, according to a report from The Associated Press. The Trump-aligned board had voted to close most of the performing arts center for repairs. President Trump claimed that the closure was necessary due to safety issues.
The board voted to close the main building for as long as two years while a $257 million renovation is carried out. Congress has approved the money for repairs. Trump said the repairs would only move forward if his name could be added to the building.
There has been no public access to the main building since the closure. A reporter from the Associated Press was turned away by a security guard who said it was closed. Beatty’s legal team also said a staff member was denied access to the building on Wednesday.
Beatty, who has led efforts to prevent Trump’s name from appearing on the building, had a verbal exchange with Trump during a virtual board meeting. Trump called Beatty “incompetent” and accused her of holding up the center’s plans. Beatty responded that Trump was holding up the country.
Trump, who was named chairman of the Kennedy Center by loyalists on the board last year, said he had provided $17 million to an endowment intended to support the institution. Other reporting described Trump as saying he had raised $17 million to keep the center operating. The available reporting does not establish that the entire amount came from Trump’s personal funds.
Trump has also made other major changes to federal property in Washington, including demolishing the White House East Wing for a planned ballroom. He also wants to construct a large triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery. Those projects are separate from the Kennedy Center dispute.
The Kennedy Center board voted in August to add Trump’s name to the building’s facade. The sign would read “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump.” If a Trump Kennedy Center fund reached $100 million, the board also planned a second inscription referring to the fund.
Judge Christopher Cooper had already ruled on May 29 that the earlier addition of Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center was illegal because Congress had not approved the name change. He ordered Trump’s name removed from the facade and other Kennedy Center materials. Workers removed it in June.
When the board tried another method in August to recognize Trump on the facade and grounds, Cooper blocked that plan on September 15. He said the defendants could not install memorials honoring Trump or anyone else at the Kennedy Center without congressional approval. The Justice Department has appealed.
The dispute is happening as the Kennedy Center faces documented financial and structural problems. Internal documents obtained by The Washington Post said officials believed the center was approaching a serious financial crisis. The documents also argued that recognizing Trump could help with fundraising.
A section of the ceiling collapsed inside the Kennedy Center’s grand foyer earlier this month. No one was injured. Photos released by the center showed debris on the carpet and a large hole in the ceiling.
This partial collapse increased pressure for major renovations at the 55-year-old building. Kennedy Center spokeswoman Roma Daravi said decades of neglect had caused infrastructure problems and that the damage showed why renovations were necessary.
Kennedy Center officials maintain that the closure is about public safety and necessary repairs. Beatty and other opponents of the closure have raised concerns that the shutdown could be used to make changes that the court has prohibited.
For now, the Kennedy Center can remain temporarily closed. However, Cooper’s latest order means officials must provide 30 days’ notice before demolition or other major physical alterations. The order gives the court and the parties time to respond if plans for the building change.
IMAGE: Kennedy Center by Tom CC3