‘Kennedy Center Demolished’ photo becomes new evidence in legal battle over landmark's future
FILE-President Donald Trump is seen aboard Air Force One checking a Kennedy Center large printout after landing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on September 16, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)
A judge ordered the Trump administration to provide 30 days’ notice before moving forward with plans to demolish the Kennedy Center.
Reuters reported that U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper issued the order after a Democratic U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty, who is suing to keep the Kennedy Center open and President Donald Trump's name off its building provided new evidence referencing Trump’s comments on Wednesday alluding to demolishing the Kennedy Center.
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Beatty responded in a filing in federal court in Washington, D.C. that the closure "is a recipe for defendants extending their shutdown forever and closing the Kennedy Center for the next two years — the very thing this court said they could not do without its permission," according to Reuters.
Attorneys for Beatty also referenced a picture circulating on social media that depicted Trump aboard Air Force One looking at a poster they said appeared to be titled "Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED."
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Matt Floca, the Kennedy Center's executive director, stated in a court filing Thursday that the building was being temporarily closed to evaluate safety risks in areas displaying "deterioration."
Cooper previously ordered the Kennedy Center board to explain by Thursday whether the Trump administration's renovation plan violates an earlier order he issued limiting its ability to close its doors.
According to Reuters, the board said on Thursday that it was not in violation of the order, and the seven-day emergency closure was separate from the larger renovation plans.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration would ask the judge by Friday to dissolve the prior order to allow for what the government called "closure necessary to complete the restoration and renovations."
Kennedy Center renovations
The backstory:
After retaking office in 2021, President Donald Trump replaced the Kennedy Center’s leadership and installed a board of trustees that named him president. Trump’s name was later placed on the building above Kennedy’s. And Kennedy Center officials later announced a two-year closure to allow for renovations.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by Reuters and previous FOX Local reporting. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.