‘I have no interest’: Trump abandons Kennedy Center renovations after court setback, calls it ‘failing institution’
President of the United States Donald Trump On Friday, he will abandon plans to renovate the Kennedy Center after a federal judge blocked the proposal to close it and ordered his name to be removed from the venue.
The ruling marks the latest legal setback for Trump’s efforts to reshape key landmarks. washington during his second term.
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has ruled that the Kennedy Center’s board of directors exceeded its authority when it voted in March to temporarily close the institution for extensive renovations and rename it the “Trump Kennedy Center.”
Trump said he would return control to Congress.
Hours later, Trump responded on TruthSocial, calling the ruling “shocking” and saying he no longer wished to continue participating in the project.
“Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else and bring this institution back physically, financially and artistically, I have no interest in continuing a hopeless journey to a ‘neverland,'” Trump wrote.
republican president in lengthy postsaid he has directed his administration to work with Congress to transfer responsibility for the agency to lawmakers.
“We will work with Congress to turn this failed agency over to them so they can decide what to do with it,” he said.
The president also accused U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper of ignoring warnings from building experts about alleged structural and safety problems at the venue, including “rotten beams” and a parking lot that was “prone to collapse.”
“Judge Cooper should be ashamed of himself,” Trump wrote.
Trump defends renovation plan
The president further defended plans to renovate the Kennedy Center, arguing that the venue suffered years of neglect and financial loss before his administration stepped in.
He said the government planned to transform the center into “the best facility of its kind in the world”.
Trump also claimed he was “very proud” of revitalizing what he said was a struggling agency, comparing the effort to other renovation and beautification projects in Washington during his presidency.
What does a court order say?
Judge Cooper said The board’s March 16 decision to close the facility after nearly two years was “ill-informed and appeared preordained,” the AP reported, adding that trustees did not properly consider their legal obligations before approving the plan.
The government announced renovations would begin in July and last about two years.
Cooper also ruled that the board could not legally add Trump’s name to the institution because Congress originally established the Kennedy Center and only Congress has the authority to rename it, the Associated Press reported.
The judge ordered officials to remove Trump’s name from the building’s exterior and all official materials, including physical and digital signage, within two weeks.
Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president for public relations, said the institution was reviewing the ruling, adding that the center was confident the court would uphold “the Board’s will to recognize President Trump’s historic contributions to our nation’s cultural center.”
Trump’s efforts to reshape Washington
Trump has made reinventing Washington’s historic institutions a major focus of his second term.
His administration has overseen projects including demolishing the East Wing of the White House to build a new ballroom and adding Trump’s name or image to several federal buildings, including the U.S. Institute of Peace and Justice Department headquarters.
He also supported plans to build a triumphal arch overlooking the Potomac River.
Some of the projects faced legal challenges, and opponents obtained favorable rulings in lower courts. The government is expected to appeal some of the decision.
