World
Trump Links Kennedy Center Renovations to Naming Dispute
By AFP
On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that the Kennedy Center would remain closed indefinitely if a federal judge's ruling preventing his name from being added to the institution's facade is not overturned. Following the judge's decision, Mr. Trump stated that his appointed board voted to close the venue for emergency renovations. However, he warned that these repairs in Washington could not commence until a higher court determines whether the center can be renamed after him. Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social that if the ruling is negative and not overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, the "Reconstruction and the Renovation of The Kennedy Center will not take place." The Kennedy Center issued a statement to AFP, affirming that the board's decision prioritizes safety.
After beginning his second term, Republican Trump became chairman of the Kennedy Center, which is named in honor of the late President John F. Kennedy. In December, the board voted to rename it the "Trump-Kennedy" Center and installed signage with his name. U.S. federal judge Christopher Cooper had previously ordered Mr. Trump's name removed from the exterior and invalidated the board's renaming decision. On September 15, 2026, Judge Cooper ruled that Mr. Trump's name could not be re-added, stating that the board "cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Centre without Congress's blessing."
CNN reported that Mr. Trump participated in the board meeting and criticized a Democratic congresswoman who served on the board and initiated the lawsuit that blocked the renaming. The Kennedy Center initiative is one of several projects aimed at marking Mr. Trump's brand in the U.S. capital. Workers removed Mr. Trump's name from the building in June, though scaffolding and tarps have remained. Last month, the board planned to add new signage reading "renovated and restored by President Donald J. Trump," which Judge Cooper ruled on September 15, 2026, violated his previous order.
Mr. Trump and his appointed leaders at the Kennedy Center have asserted that the main building, constructed in the 1960s, is in a dangerous state of disrepair. As evidence, Mr. Trump cited a recent incident where a piece of the ceiling fell after a storm. He wrote on Truth Social that if the building had been open, "innocent people would have been killed." During court proceedings last month, the Trump administration warned that the center might need demolition if renovation plans were obstructed. Following Mr. Trump's takeover, several artists canceled concerts, and U.S. media reported a decline in Kennedy Center ticket sales.