Trump threatens to demolish Kennedy Center if $250m renovation not done

The Kennedy Center, located in Washington D.C., is on the brink of financial turmoil if President Donald Trump's name is not prominently displayed on the building, according to Justice Department attorneys. The cultural institution, which honors John F. Kennedy, is described by the government as "a financially insolvent facility, housed in a decrepit, dilapidated, crumbling building" that "continues to race toward physical and financial ruin."

A court filing from late Monday argued that if the Trump name is not included, donors would abandon the center, financial contributions would disappear, and the necessary expertise and funding for renovation would cease. The current situation of the Kennedy Center is dire, with the government citing a need for renovations to prevent the "decrepit, dilapidated" structure from further deteriorating.

The controversy surrounding the addition of Trump's name to the Kennedy Center's facade dates back to May when a lawsuit from Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center, halted the initial attempt. Since then, the board of trustees has voted to add "Renovated and Restored By President Donald J. Trump" under the title on the building's facade, and Beatty has again requested the federal court to block these modifications, claiming they violate the Kennedy Center statute. A federal judge is set to hear arguments on this request on Thursday.