Federal judge orders 30-day notice before any demolition at Kennedy Center amid Trump administration dispute

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Justice Department to provide a detailed report within 30 days before any demolition work could begin at the Kennedy Center. The ruling follows President Trump’s recent comments that the performing-arts venue could be "ripped down" and a photograph showing him reviewing a document labeled "Kennedy Center Demolished."

Kennedy Center officials asserted that no demolition is occurring. The court’s order requires the Justice Department to explain the current "temporary closure" and emergency repairs cited by the center’s executive director, Matt Floca, who said acute safety risks from structural deterioration forced the shutdown of most public areas in the main building. Floca indicated the closure would last one week unless extended to address safety hazards, and any extensions would be evaluated weekly.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper denied Rep. Joyce Beatty’s request for an emergency hearing. Beatty, an ex officio board member who sued last year to block the administration’s changes, argued that the unexplained closure could be a prelude to demolishing public access routes. Court filings included a witness statement that a forklift had struck the building’s pillars and noted that fencing had been erected around the facility.

The judge also upheld a prior ruling that the Trump name cannot be placed on the Kennedy Center without congressional approval, rejecting a board resolution that sought to install a memorial. The board, composed of Trump allies, later voted to close the center for renovations, a move that remains under judicial review. Congress previously appropriated more than $250 million for the center’s restoration.

President Trump reiterated that any fundraising or long-term involvement by his administration should receive recognition, warning that without such support the center could face closure or demolition.