Trump threatens to keep Kennedy Center shut if his name not added

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump threatened to keep the Kennedy Center closed permanently after a federal judge ruled that his name could not be added to the renowned arts center's exterior. The Trump-picked board had voted nearly unanimously to shut down the venue immediately for emergency renovations following the judge's decision, according to Trump's announcement on his Truth Social platform.

However, Trump warned that the extensive repairs could not commence until a higher court rules on whether the center can be renamed after himself, emphasizing that the renovations would not proceed if the ruling is negative and not overturned by the US Supreme Court.

The Kennedy Center, dedicated to former President John F. Kennedy, a Democrat who supported civil rights, had recently undergone a board decision to rename it the "Trump-Kennedy Center." The board had installed signage displaying his name shortly after assuming control of the center in the early stages of Trump's second term. In December, a federal judge, Christopher Cooper, had previously mandated that Trump's name be removed from the exterior and overturned the board's attempt to rename the institution.

Judge Cooper stated in his ruling that the board could not install memorials for President Trump or any other entity at the Kennedy Center without congressional approval. Trump personally attended the board meeting and criticized a Democratic congresswoman who serves on the board and filed the lawsuit that halted the renaming process, as reported by CNN. Trump's efforts to brand the US capital with his name have included constructing a triumphal arch and a half-billion dollar ballroom at the White House.

Workers had previously removed Trump's name from the building in June, but the scaffolding and tarps remained in place. Last month, the board announced a plan to add new signage on the building reading "renovated and restored by President Donald J. Trump." However, Judge Cooper ruled that this plan was in violation of his earlier order and could not be implemented.

Trump and his chosen leaders of the Kennedy Center argued that the main building, constructed in the 1960s, required urgent repairs, citing a recent ceiling collapse following a storm as evidence of safety issues. Trump warned that if the building were open, innocent people could have been killed.