A federal judge blocks the closing of the Kennedy Center, saying Trump’s name must be erased

A judge ruled Friday that US President Donald Trump’s name was illegally added to the Kennedy Center and prevented administrators from closing the cultural and arts center for major renovations.

US District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, DC, ruled that the Kennedy Center board’s March 16 vote to close the facility was “ill-informed and appears to be premeditated” without regard to its legal obligations.

“The trustees could have evaluated the merits of the foreclosure in many ways. This was not one,” he wrote.

Cooper also concluded that the board “overstepped its legal bounds” by independently adding Trump’s name to the agency. Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it, he said.

The board will review the decision ‘carefully’

Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president for public affairs, said Friday that the center “is confident that on appeal the court will uphold the Board’s will to honor President Trump’s historic contributions to our nation’s cultural center.” He said the decision would be reviewed “carefully.”

“Although the truth remains – the institution needs urgent and important restoration – the truth agrees with the plaintiff,” said Daravi.

“For $257 million [US] protected by President Trump and authorized by Congress, resources are in place and we remain committed to pursuing all legal avenues to ensure that the Trump Kennedy Center is restored as a cultural landmark for all Americans to enjoy. “

Cooper held hearings in late April on similar lawsuits challenging the project. One was installed by a group of cultural and historical preservation organizations. Another was brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who serves as a Kennedy Center board member. He ruled in favor of Beatty’s request but declined another challenge.

Attorneys for the Department of Justice said plans to renovate the building are limited and subject to the authority of the board, without the need for outside approvals.

Saving rules

Plaintiffs are concerned that the president and his board partners will violate preservation laws designed to preserve the building’s history. In previous court hearings, Beatty’s attorneys and conservation groups have raised doubts about the limited scope of the project, pointing to Trump’s statement that he would “fully expose” the building’s steel frame.

Beatty said he was “very afraid we’re going to see what happened to the East Wing and what happened to the Rose Garden” if the facility is closed and renovations are allowed to continue unsupervised, referring to the major changes the president has made to the White House.

Trump, a Republican, has taken a keen interest in the Kennedy Center’s operations since returning to the White House last year. He installed a hand-picked board that named him chairman. His name has been added to the facade of the building which is considered a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy.

The Kennedy Center continued to perform before the closure, albeit at a much slower pace than in previous years. Trump attended the premiere of the musical Chicago in March, and other shows, incl Moulin Rouge, scheduled for June.

Bill Maher, the comedian who has had a close relationship with Trump, is expected to be awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on June 28, an event expected to be one of the last big moments at the Kennedy Center before it closes.

Cooper was appointed to the bench by the American president, Barack Obama.