Trump administration says it might demolish the Kennedy Center if court blocks renovations
Justice Department lawyers say 2 years of repairs and $258 million in funding are needed to keep the venue from becoming unsafe.
- Justice Department attorney Brantley T. Mayers warned in a court filing on Monday that the Kennedy Center is "structurally unsound, fundamentally unsafe, and embarrassing to the Nation's Capital" and could face demolition if not permitted to close for two years for renovations.
- The filing frames the two-year closure as essential for critical repairs including stage lifts, rigging, and electrical upgrades, contrasting with Kennedy Center Executive Director Matt Floca's recent focus on specific maintenance tasks rather than total facility shutdown.
- Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, is challenging the Board's closure decision as rushed and lacking adequate information, while the DOJ defended the administration's planning commitment and President Trump's "unrivaled expertise and experience in real estate and construction."
- Beatty is also contesting the Trump-appointed Board's renewed effort to add Trump's name to the building this month, after a prior court ruling compelled removal of the president's name from the structure.
- A hearing scheduled for Thursday afternoon will address both the contested closure and the Board's renaming efforts, with legal disputes intensifying over the facility's future and renovation timeline.
178 Articles
178 Articles
“A breathtaking assault”: Did Trump threaten to demolish Kennedy Center if his name can’t be on it?
President Donald Trump is so desperate to have his name on the Kennedy Center that he’s willing to tear it down if he doesn’t get his way. In a Monday legal filing, the Kennedy Center board members, most of whom were installed by the president himself, described the arts complex as “embarrassing to the nation’s capital” and a “sick and poorly run facility,” NPR reported. Lawyers with the Department of Justice’s civil division claimed that if the…
Plaintiff Reacts To Kennedy Center Warning Of Potential Demolition
A federal judge is holding a hearing on Thursday on another challenge to the Kennedy Center’s plans to add Donald Trump’s name to the complex. On Wednesday evening, attorneys for Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) reacted to the most recent filing by the center, in which they suggested that the complex may have to be torn […]
Trump Admin Threatens To Demolish Kennedy Center If Courts Block His Name Being Added
The Trump administration is threatening that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts could be demolished if courts block renovations backed by President Donald Trump, which include adding his name to the building. What did Trump’s lawyers say about tearing down the Kennedy Center? Justice Department lawyers made the threat in a 26-page court filing Monday, arguing that Trump’s plans are necessary to address what they describe as the K…
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