The Trump administration is threatening that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts could be demolished if courts block renovations backed by President Donald Trump, which include adding his name to the building.
What did Trump’s lawyers say about tearing down the Kennedy Center?
Justice Department lawyers made the threat in a 26-page court filing Monday, arguing that Trump’s plans are necessary to address what they describe as the Kennedy Center’s deteriorating physical condition and financial problems.
“The building has become dangerously dilapidated, outdated, and decrepit. It is structurally unsound, fundamentally unsafe, and embarrassing to the Nation’s Capital,” Justice Department attorney Brantley T. Mayers wrote in the filing.
The administration’s lawyers argue that the center needs a major renovation to prevent further deterioration and financial losses. They point to $258 million in congressional funding for capital restoration and Trump’s efforts to attract additional private donors.
But if those efforts are blocked, the lawyers warn the Kennedy Center could eventually become so unsafe that it would have to be torn down.
“Without those efforts, the Center will deteriorate further into an unsafe, decrepit structure that will be required to be taken down, with a determination to follow on what to build on the site, such as a large outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Potomac River that has been proposed, by some, for many years,” the filing states.
Will Trump’s name be added to the Kennedy Center?
The threat comes as a broader legal fight over Trump’s influence at the Kennedy Center continues.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center’s board, has asked a federal judge to block the administration’s latest effort to recognize Trump on the building. The dispute follows an earlier ruling that found the board could not rename the Kennedy Center, which Congress designated as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
The Kennedy Center board, which is largely made up of Trump appointees, voted Aug. 13 to add language to the building stating it was “restored and renovated by President Donald J. Trump.” The board also approved naming the surrounding grounds “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.”
Trump’s administration argues the changes do not amount to an official renaming because the building would continue to be called the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Justice Department says not recognizing Trump could lead to other problems
The filing also argues that Trump’s name is important to the center’s fundraising efforts. The lawyers claim that without recognizing Trump’s role, donors could pull their support and the renovation effort could collapse.
“An order blocking the Board from appropriately recognizing President Trump will cause donors to flee, financial contributions to dry up, and structural rehabilitation to stop,” the filing states.
The administration further argues that without Trump’s involvement, the center could return to financial instability while operating out of what it calls a “decrepit, dilapidated, crumbling building.”
In June, Blavity reported that a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from renaming the Kennedy Center after months of attempts to implement changes at the Washington, D.C.-based institution.
The fight over the Kennedy Center, including the name change, has gone on since late 2025. The filing does not say that Trump has ordered the Kennedy Center to be demolished. Instead, the administration stated that demolition is a possible outcome if its renovation and fundraising efforts are blocked and the center’s structural and financial problems continue to worsen.