Trump Photographed With Placard Appearing to Show Kennedy Center Demolished
The images surfaced shortly after the former president stated the performing arts center could "close" or be "ripped down" if his administration doesn't receive recognition.
President Donald Trump was photographed Wednesday evening looking over a placard that appeared to read "Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED," as he landed at Joint Base Andrews. The photos were taken through a cabin window on Air Force One by Agence France-Presse photojournalist Brendan Smialowski.
It was not immediately clear what the full contents of the placard were or how it was generated. The images do not show the entire placard, and the word "DEMOLISHED" was partially obscured, appearing as "DEMOLIS."
ABC News has reached out to the White House for comment. The images were published shortly after Trump told reporters in North Carolina that the performing arts center could "close" or be "ripped down" if his administration does not receive recognition at the venue.
"I think that the Trump administration should certainly have recognition. Because frankly, if we don't do that, it's going to close. It'll end up being ripped down," Trump said.
In a federal court filing Thursday, Kennedy Center executive director Matt Floca stated that the current closure of the main building is only temporary, set to last for seven days and to be reevaluated weekly. Congress appropriated $257 million last year for renovations. However, Trump asserted in a social media post on Tuesday that these renovations would not proceed unless his name was added back to the building.
His name had previously been affixed to the center's exterior after the Trump-controlled board voted in December to rename the building the "Trump-Kennedy Center." In May, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the rebranding violated the law and ordered Trump's name removed within two weeks.
In July, a panel of D.C. Circuit appeals court judges rejected a request by Trump and fellow board members to stay the court's order. Last month, the Kennedy Center board members, whom Trump replaced with his allies last year, voted to close the institution for a two-year renovation, and on Tuesday, they voted to close the building immediately.
Also on Tuesday, Cooper issued a written order blocking any attempt to add Trump's name to the building, concluding that such an action would violate a previous court order and congressional statute. Cooper wrote, "Simply put, Defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress's blessing. The board resolution bucks a federal court order and a statute Congress enacted."