Kennedy Center to close after judge bars name change

The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, will be temporarily shut down for renovations following a federal judge's order blocking the venue's renaming after President Donald Trump. The judge, Christopher Cooper, ruled that the Center cannot display memorials for Trump or any other individual or entity without Congressional approval.

This decision comes after the Center had already removed Trump's name in June, leaving a tarp and scaffolding in its place.The Center, which began construction in 1965, is in dire need of renovations. A partial ceiling collapse earlier this month further emphasized the urgency of the repairs. The $257 million allocated for the renovations by Congress would only be released if the renaming were permitted, a condition the judge ruled could not be met without Congressional approval.

Trump, who was named the Center's chairman last year, participated in the virtual board meeting and pledged $17 million to an endowment supporting the institution. The board's meeting included confrontations between Trump and Rep. Joyce Beatty, the Democrat who has led the campaign to block Trump's memorialization efforts at the Kennedy Center.

The fight over the Kennedy Center has become a setback in Trump's efforts to transform the US capital, including demolishing parts of the White House and building a golf course along the Potomac River.