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Wednesday, August 26Wednesday, August 26
The U.S. Department of Justice warned in a Monday court filing that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., could be demolished if renovations and recognition of President Donald Trump’s role in its restoration are blocked by the courts.
In the filing, DOJ lawyers described the center as in “terrible trouble,” stating it “cannot survive, either structurally or financially” without the administration’s intervention. The document argued that without explicit acknowledgment of Trump’s contributions, donors would withdraw support, leading to financial collapse and structural decay. “Without those efforts, the Center will deteriorate further into an unsafe, decrepit structure that will be required to be taken down,” the filing read. It suggested a large outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Potomac River as a potential replacement, calling such an option “simpler and more economical” but acknowledging it would “fail to adequately honor” the venue’s namesake, former President John F. Kennedy .
The legal dispute stems from the Trump-appointed board’s repeated attempts to add the president’s name to the center. In May, U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered the removal of Trump’s name from the building, ruling that only Congress could alter the center’s official designation. The board had previously renamed the venue “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts” before complying with the court’s decision in June. On Aug. 13, the board voted to add the inscription “renovated and restored by President Donald J. Trump” beneath the center’s name and rename the grounds “President Donald J. Trump Plaza” .
The DOJ filing was submitted in response to a lawsuit by Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio and a member of the Kennedy Center’s board, who challenged the latest effort to include Trump’s name. The administration argued that blocking the board’s recognition of Trump would halt structural rehabilitation and dry up financial contributions. The filing also cited the need for repairs to address water leaks and other structural issues, which the board had previously emphasized .
The Kennedy Center was originally established as a memorial to President Kennedy and opened in 1971. Congress approved $257 million for renovations last year, which the board had touted in a press release crediting Trump. However, the Washington Post reported that ticket sales and donations declined after the center was temporarily renamed under Trump, resulting in a $23 million deficit .
Norm Eisen, an attorney for Beatty, criticized the administration’s threat, stating on X that the DOJ was “now threatening in federal court to LEVEL the Kennedy Center if Trump does not get his way” . The board’s proposed renovations include $24.7 million for upgrades to the Concert Hall, plumbing, and elevator refurbishments .
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Après lannulation par la justice du nom Trump Kennedy Center, ladministration Trump évoque une démolition du bâtiment Le gouvernement Trump a évoqué la possibilité de démolir le Kennedy Center, la salle de spectacles de Washington contrôlée par des proches du président républicain, si la justice bloque la décision du conseil dadministration de rétablir le nom de Donald Trump sur la façade. ...
la libre · about 2 hours ago
Trump raises prospect of demolishing iconic Kennedy Center if courts block his plans to overhaul the performing arts landmark u.afp.com/SVpG
bluesky_AFP English · about 2 hours ago
Kennedy Center mogelijk gesloopt als renovaties uitblijven
de volkskrant · about 2 hours ago
Administrația Trump amenință cu demolarea Kennedy Center dacă numele președintelui este eliminat Administrația Donald Trump a evocat posibilitatea demolării Kennedy Center din Washington în cazul în care justiția va împiedica păstrarea numelui președintelui american pe clădire, relatează AFP.
adevarul · about 3 hours ago
Streit um Renovierung: Trump droht mit Abriss des Kennedy Centers US-Präsident Donald Trump will das Kennedy-Center abreißen lassen, sollte es nicht für eine zweijährige Renovierung geschlossen werden dürfen. Zugleich steht das Kulturzentrum wegen Trump auch finanziell unter Druck.
tagesspiegel · about 4 hours ago
The Kennedy Center becomes a hostage to Trumps renaming demands. www.vox.com/the-logoff-n...
bluesky_Vox · about 4 hours ago
VS leggen wereldwijd visumaanvragen stil, Kennedy Center mogelijk gesloopt als renovaties uitblijven
de volkskrant · about 4 hours ago
Wenn seine Renovierungspläne blockiert werden: Trump droht mit Abriss des Kennedy Centers Präsident Donald Trump will das Kennedy-Center abreißen lassen, sollte es nicht für eine zweijährige Renovierung geschlossen werden. Zugleich steht das Kulturzentrum finanziell unter Druck. Die Einnahmen gingen nach Trumps Übernahme drastisch zurück.
tagesspiegel · about 4 hours ago
Trump administration: Kennedy Center may be demolished if repairs not made Department of Justice lawyers told a federal judge the venue cannot survive without the US presidents help.
aljazeera · about 6 hours ago
Kennedy Centers survival depends on Trump, DOJ says in new filing The Trump administration argued in a Monday court filing that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts must undergo proposed renovations and a cash infusion to survive. Why it matters: Its the latest in the legal battle over the venues future, which the administration has proposed to overhaul, including potentially adding President Trumps name to the building. Driving the news: "An order blocking the Board from appropriately recognizing President Trump," the DOJ argued in Mondays filing, "will cause donors to flee, financial contributions to dry up, and structural rehabilitation to stop."Without Trumps efforts, the filing reads, "the Center will deteriorate further into an unsafe, decrepit structure that will be required to be taken down." The document also suggests that if the venue deteriorated that way, the Kennedy Center could be replaced with "a large outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Potomac River."Such a venue has "been proposed, by some, for many years," it continued.Catch up quick: The filing came in response to Rep. Joyce Beattys (D-Ohio) request for a federal judge to block the Kennedy Centers board from trying once again to put Trumps name on the building.In May, U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered Trumps name removed from the building after its Trump-chaired board, stacked with MAGA allies, voted to rename it "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts."Yes, but: Earlier this month, the board pushed forward once again with plans to put the presidents name on the center. Cooper said only Congress could change the centers name — but the DOJ argued in Mondays filing that the updated plan would not rename the center.Rather, the boards recent vote approved an inscription under the centers name that would read "renovated and restored by President Donald J. Trump," while the physical site would be renamed the "President Donald J. Trump Plaza."State of play: Internal documents obtained by Axios Cuneyt Dil demonstrate the scale of Trumps project, which includes $24.7 million to upgrade the Concert Hall, a "Front of the House Renewal" and plumbing and elevator refurbishments. Still, as the administration casts Trump as the Kennedy Centers savior, the Washington Post reported Tuesday that ticket sales and fundraising fell after it adopted on Trumps name.Editors note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.
axios · about 7 hours ago
Trump has pulled nearly 300 national parks emergency responders to work on his DC pet projects: report Workers reassigned to D.C. previously worked for parks across the country, including in Alaska and California. Their duties have since included cleaning up the East Potomac golf course
independent · about 7 hours ago
Trump admin says Kennedy Center to be taken down without renovations
news.yahoo.com · about 8 hours ago