Congresswoman Beatty, Counsel Condemn Vote to Shutter Kennedy Center
September 15, 2026
Despite vote by Trump’s handpicked board, Kennedy Center is barred from closing without Judge Cooper lifting May’s preliminary injunction
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Donald Trump’s handpicked board of trustees voted to immediately close the Kennedy Center, just minutes after a federal judge rejected their latest effort to add Trump’s name to the building’s facade. The Kennedy Center cannot close without Judge Christopher R. Cooper lifting the preliminary injunction issued in May, but today’s vote is yet another example of the board’s repeated efforts to deface the center with Trump’s name, shut it down permanently or demolish it entirely if he doesn’t get his way.
During today’s meeting, after President Trump verbally berated Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio-03, for her efforts to save the center, she strongly condemned his efforts to destroy the treasured American institution. For months, Rep. Beatty has advocated for the center to undertake a phased approach with renovations occurring while it maintains some operations. But just days before today’s vote, the Kennedy Center’s management said that the center is in dire straits, claiming that unless President Trump’s name is added to the building, “it is unlikely that President Trump will provide the fundamental oversight of the renovation of the main building and lead the fiscal rescue of the center.”
“For years, the Kennedy Center has planned to undergo phased renovations, in which we both renovate and maintain some performances. This is how major performing arts centers in the country operate. But donors, patrons and artists all fled after the unlawful attempt to rename this sacred memorial after Donald Trump,” said Rep. Beatty. “Donald Trump only cares about the Kennedy Center for his vanity. That is wrong and it is a breach of his fiduciary duty as a trustee. Congress established the Kennedy Center as a living memorial to President Kennedy, and I am proud to defend this cherished institution.”
“The board’s latest shutdown vote is more of the same failure and abuse that has characterized this administration’s treatment of the Kennedy Center,” said Rep. Beatty’s counsel, Amb. Norm Eisen (ret.) of Democracy Defenders Action and Nathaniel Zelinsky of Washington Litigation Group. “The unlawful renaming drove audiences and artists away. Now the board has voted to shut down yet again to hide the terrible mismanagement under its current leadership. We’ll see the defendants in court.”
Earlier today, Judge Cooper also issued a permanent injunction blocking Trump’s handpicked Kennedy Center board from installing “memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’ blessing.” Rep. Beatty, an ex officio trustee of the Kennedy Center, is represented by Nathaniel Zelinsky, Kyle Freeny and Alex Kristofcak of Washington Litigation Group, and Norm Eisen, Steve Jonas and David W. Ogden of Democracy Defenders Action.
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Democracy Defenders Action brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state, and local allies across the country to defend in real time the foundations of our democracy.
Washington Litigation Group is a nonpartisan team of attorneys dedicated to defending individuals and institutions that have been unlawfully targeted for exercising their legal rights and to fighting against governmental overreach.
For media inquiries, contact, press@democracydefenders.org.
