President Donald Trump is threatening to hand control of the Kennedy Center back to Congress after a federal judge blocked plans to rename the institution the “Trump Kennedy Center” and prevented the administration from moving forward with a controversial closure for renovations.
In a lengthy Truth Social post Friday night, Trump blasted U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, an Obama appointee, for ruling against the administration’s plans and accused Democrats of caring more about opposing him than preserving the iconic performing arts center.
“Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this Institution back, physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing,” Trump wrote.
The president claimed the Kennedy Center suffers from serious structural problems, including “rotting beams” and parking areas allegedly at risk of collapse. He argued that renovations could not be completed while the facility remains open and said the administration had hoped to transform the center into “the Finest Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World.”
But much of Trump’s frustration appeared directed at the court’s rejection of efforts to add his name to the institution. In the post, Trump lamented that the board’s vote to rename the facility “The Trump Kennedy Center” would not be allowed to stand.
Trump ultimately announced he had instructed the Department of Commerce to work with Congress on transferring responsibility for the institution’s operation and maintenance back to lawmakers.
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The ruling marks the latest chapter in the administration’s contentious relationship with the Kennedy Center, which has become a flashpoint in broader battles over arts, culture and the role of politics in public institutions. It also comes as artists continue to distance themselves from Trump-linked cultural events, including the upcoming Freedom 250 celebration marking America’s 250th anniversary.
Despite Trump’s claims that the center is financially failing and structurally unsafe, the administration’s response to the ruling was not to pursue an alternative renovation plan. Instead, the president signaled he may abandon the project altogether.
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