Kennedy Center demolition worries rise with closing after judge blocks Trump name restoration

WASHINGTON – The Kennedy Center will close most of its facility for renovations after its Trump‑aligned board voted Tuesday to proceed with the shutdown just hours after a federal judge again blocked the institution from restoring Donald Trump’s name to the building, as lawyers warned the venue could deteriorate into an “unsafe, decrepit structure” that may need to be taken down.

What we know:

Trump said in a social media post that the closure was necessary for safety repairs, which Congress has already funded with $257 million. He argued the work would only move forward if the board could add his name back to the building, a step a federal judge has twice ruled cannot happen without congressional approval.

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President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the Kennedy Center Honors celebrating Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, members of KISS, and Michael Crawford at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Sunday, December 7, 2025. (Official Wh

“Simply put, Defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing,” U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper wrote in Tuesday’s ruling. The Justice Department appealed the decision.

Trump, who was named chairman of the Kennedy Center last year by allies on the board, joined the virtual meeting and said he had contributed $17 million to an endowment supporting the institution. 

The meeting grew tense at times, including an exchange between Trump and Rep. Joyce Beatty, the Ohio Democrat who has led efforts to block attempts to memorialize Trump at the Center. Beatty accused Trump of causing “extreme harm,” according to a participant who spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump called Beatty “incompetent” and said she was “holding up everything,” prompting her to respond, “You’re holding up the whole country.”

White House spokesman Davis Ingle criticized Beatty in a statement, saying she opposed efforts to “celebrate the greatness of our country.”

Kennedy Center demolition concerns grow

The developments raise questions over the future of one of the nation’s most prominent cultural institutions, long a gathering place for presidents, lawmakers and artists. Leaders have argued the building, constructed in 1965, urgently needs repairs, a point highlighted by a partial ceiling collapse in the main hallway earlier this month.

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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend the FIFA World Cup drawing, Friday, December 5, 2025, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Cody Hendrix)

“The building is not currently built to last,” board member Brian Ballard said, adding that Trump “is among the best builders in the world.”

But Trump’s insistence on physical recognition to his role in the renovations, in keeping with his real estate branding style, has alienated longtime supporters and repeatedly violated federal law. 

The fight marks a rare setback in Trump’s broader effort to reshape Washington in his own style. He has demolished the East Wing of the White House to build a ballroom and is pursuing plans for a triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery and a renovated golf course along the Potomac River.

RELATED: Kennedy Center board’s plan to honor Trump with new inscriptions and plaza name blocked by court

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend the FIFA World Cup drawing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on Friday, December 5, 2025.(Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)

In August, the board voted to inscribe Trump’s name on the Kennedy Center façade so it would read, “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump.” A second inscription would be added if the Trump Kennedy Center Fund reached $100 million. The plaza in front of the building would also be renamed in Trump’s honor.

Cooper ruled in May that the Center illegally added Trump’s name to the building and ordered it removed. The institution complied in June but left a tarp and scaffolding in place where the name once appeared.

The administration has suggested the building could face demolition if Trump is not formally recognized. In a recent filing, government lawyers said the Center may struggle to raise renovation funds without acknowledging Trump’s contributions. Without that money, they wrote, the building could deteriorate into an “unsafe, decrepit structure” that might need to be taken down, with a possible replacement such as a large outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Potomac River.

RELATED: Piece of Kennedy Center ceiling falls amid legal battle over restoration

President Donald Trump tours the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, August 13, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)