Attorneys for the Trump administration have threatened to demolish the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and replace it with an outdoor amphitheater unless Donald Trump's name is prominently displayed on the building. In a court filing on Monday, the administration's legal team argued that the center is in such severe disrepair, both structurally and financially, that it "cannot survive" without Trump's involvement and public acknowledgment.
The filing describes the center as "dangerously dilapidated, outdated, and decrepit," stating it is "structurally unsound, fundamentally unsafe, and embarrassing to the Nation’s Capital." The administration is requesting an inscription on the building's exterior that reads: "Renovated and restored by President Donald J. Trump." This would be followed by "endowed by The Trump Kennedy Center Fund," contingent on an endowment reaching $100 million. Additionally, the "physical site and grounds" would be named the "President Donald J. Trump Plaza."
This demand comes in response to a legal challenge initiated by Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), a former member of the center's board of trustees. Beatty had filed an emergency motion seeking to prevent Trump's name from being affixed to the center, which was established by Congress as a memorial to former President John F. Kennedy. A U.S. district judge had previously ruled in May that a decision by a Trump-aligned board to add his name to the center's official title was unlawful, leading to its removal from the building's facade in June.
While the court filing asserts a financial and structural decline, the center's chief operating officer, Matthew Floca, stated in April that extensive, two-year repair work was necessary for the roof, electrical systems, and columns due to water damage. Images from a tour showcasing corroded steel and water-damaged electrical systems were published on the Kennedy Center's website. Floca indicated that the estimated $250 million repair cost, which Trump offered to cover using Congressionally allocated funds for capital restoration, would necessitate closing the center during construction.
According to The Washington Post, citing internal documents, the center has experienced a monthslong decline in ticket revenue and donations since its board voted in December to rename it after Trump. This downturn reportedly worsened after his name was added to the building's facade, putting the center on track to fall nearly $100 million short of its revenue target.