The Kennedy Center board just voted to put Donald Trump‘s name back on the building, barely two months after a court ordered it removed.
A new Kennedy Center board vote could put Donald Trump’s name back on the Washington landmark
The Kennedy Center’s board voted Thursday to add “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” beneath the building’s official name, MS NOW reports. Members also approved a two-year closure of the main building for renovations. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio board member who filed the original lawsuit, announced the decision.
This development comes just two months after workers stripped Trump’s name from the facade. A federal judge had previously ruled that Congress holds authority over the building’s name. Beatty had successfully sued to remove the name and prevent the planned closure.
Beatty condemned the board’s latest action in a Thursday statement. She called it “a transparent effort to circumvent the Court’s ruling.” She also pledged to “continue to fight for this treasured national monument.”
White House spokesperson Liz Huston defended the decision in a separate statement. She said that “under President Trump’s bold leadership, the Kennedy Center is on its way to becoming the finest cultural institution anywhere in the world.” The resolution additionally proposed designating the grounds as “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.”
A source with knowledge of the meeting disclosed that the inscription proposal never appeared on the agenda. The board had received meeting materials two days prior. At least one member confirmed she got no warning about the vote.
D.C. District Judge Christopher Cooper had earlier blocked a July attempt to shut down the building. He described that effort as “ill-informed and seemingly preordained.” His ruling required the board to conduct proper due diligence before pursuing any future closures.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., also an ex-officio member, sharply rebuked the decision Thursday evening. He said the board is “openly flouting a court order in voting to put President Trump’s name on the building.”
