Judge bars Kennedy Center demolition without 30-day notice after Trump threatens closure
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A federal judge ruled that the Kennedy Center cannot be demolished or rebuilt without a 30-day notice, following President Trump's remarks that the venue might be torn down if his name is not added to the building.
A U.S. District Court judge on Thursday ordered that the Kennedy Center’s board must give at least 30 days’ notice before any demolition or new construction can proceed. The ruling came hours after President Trump said the arts complex could be "ripped down" unless his name appears on its main building.
The board had voted to close the center on Tuesday, citing structural problems and financial shortfalls. The decision prompted a lawsuit filed by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex-officio board member, which had already barred the board from renaming the facility after the president.
"For the Trump administration, for me, to get involved, and to take on long term, and to carry it, or to raise money to carry it, I think that the Trump administration should certainly have recognition," the president told reporters, adding that without such recognition the center could close and be demolished.
Judge Christopher Cooper denied Beatty’s request for an emergency hearing and instead issued the 30-day notice requirement, directing the center to inform the plaintiffs and the court of any change in demolition plans and to submit a detailed status report by the following Wednesday.
In related filings, a staff member of the Washington Litigation Group swore that a forklift had struck the building’s pillars during gate installation, and the center’s executive director described the closure as temporary, citing public-safety concerns. Separate litigation brought by eight architecture and cultural organizations seeks the appointment of a neutral monitor to protect the historic venue.
The court’s order underscores ongoing legal disputes over the Kennedy Center’s future amid competing claims about its condition and management.