Trump threatens to demolish Kennedy Center if $250m renovation not done | Trump administration
US politics | The Guardian — 2026-08-25 16:10:00 — www.theguardian.com
Trump Administration Threatens Demolition of Kennedy Center Amid Legal Battle Over Naming Rights
In a striking escalation, Donald Trump’s administration warned in a court filing that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts could face demolition if a $250 million renovation is not carried out. Lawyers for the president argued that without immediate repairs, the national arts complex in Washington, DC, would “deteriorate further into an unsafe, decrepit structure that will be required to be taken down,” raising the prospect of replacing it with a large outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Potomac River—a proposal floated for years.
This threat comes as the Trump administration continues its efforts to put Trump’s name on the Kennedy Center, despite a federal judge’s ruling in May that only Congress has the authority to change the memorial’s name. The administration’s latest filing was made in response to a legal challenge from Democratic congresswoman Joyce Beatty, who sits on the Kennedy Center board and has fought to prevent Trump’s name from being restored to the facade.
The court battle has intensified since the Kennedy Center board, now dominated by Trump appointees, voted 20-3 in August to change the building’s signage to read: “The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated by President Donald J Trump,” and to name the grounds the “President Donald J Trump Plaza.” The administration claims this does not violate the court’s injunction, arguing that the new inscription merely acknowledges Trump’s role, similar to donor acknowledgments at other institutions.
However, critics argue that these moves are legally baseless and represent an attempt to rewrite the Kennedy Center’s legacy, which Congress established in 1971 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The administration’s aggressive stance has sparked outcry from preservation groups and prompted warnings of legal and public backlash.
The Kennedy Center has faced significant turmoil since Trump took control, including staff cuts and a campaign against “woke” programming. Reports indicate that ticket sales, already declining, have plummeted further following the board’s decision to rename the complex and add Trump’s name to its marble facade.
The administration’s threat to demolish the Kennedy Center if its demands are not met marks a dramatic turn in the ongoing dispute, raising questions about the future of one of the nation’s most prominent cultural institutions. As the legal battle continues, the fate of the Kennedy Center—and its name—remains uncertain.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/25/trump-kennedy-center-demolish