The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees voted on Tuesday to shutter the facility for major renovations. This decision followed a heated meeting during which President Donald Trump phoned in to berate Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty, who serves on the board. Sources familiar with the interaction characterized the call as chaotic, with one describing it as “f**king crazy” as the president confronted the congresswoman.
Reports indicate that Trump directed his frustration at Beatty for her role in the ongoing legal challenges that have blocked efforts to rename portions of the center after him. Witnesses stated that the president raised his voice, blaming Beatty for stalling the project and causing the institution’s decline. In response, Beatty reportedly countered that the president’s own actions had placed the Kennedy Center under a significant financial burden.
This confrontation occurred shortly after US District Judge Casey Cooper blocked a plan by the board to add an inscription honoring the president for restoring the building. Judge Cooper noted that the proposed name change and monument “bucks a federal court order and a statute Congress enacted.” In his ruling, Cooper emphasized that the board lacks the authority to install memorials for Trump or others without congressional approval. While the board has moved to appeal the decision to the DC US Circuit Court of Appeals, they must also secure a reversal of a separate court order that mandates the center remain open during the ongoing lawsuit.
Trump publicly voiced his displeasure with the judicial outcome on social media, labeling Judge Cooper—a Barack Obama appointee—as “hostile and conflicted.” The president warned that if his name is not ultimately displayed on the facility, the planned renovations will not proceed. He asserted that the center is “destined to doom” unless legal hurdles regarding the naming rights are cleared. Furthermore, he claimed that $17 million he raised has been deposited into the institution’s accounts to sustain its operations during the standoff.
The board’s initial August 13 resolution intended to place the text “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” on the building’s facade. Although the board had previously agreed to wait until October 8 for a legal ruling, the latest developments have complicated that timeline. Judge Cooper did defer judgment on one specific portion of the proposal: an additional inscription honoring “The Trump Kennedy Center Fund.” Because the endowment has yet to raise any capital, the judge deemed a ruling “premature,” ordering that he be notified at least 60 days in advance if the fund ever hits the $100 million threshold.
The Justice Department is expected to file a request by Friday to overturn the existing order requiring the Kennedy Center to stay open. Until such legal clarity is achieved, the board faces a complex path toward executing the reconstruction project, which the president insists is contingent upon his legacy being formally integrated into the campus identity. The report also notes that blaming Beatty for getting the courts involved and leading to the downfall of the performing arts center, another source said Trump screamed. The report also notes that “The closing will take place immediately, however, the Renovation and Reconstruction, which is a very large and complex job, cannot begin until such time as the D.C. The report also notes that the board’s lawyers told Cooper it would wait until October 8 so he could rule on the legality of such a move, after initially planning to add the inscription this month. The report also notes that “A very hostile and conflicted Judge (What else is new?) seems like he won’t let that happen, in which case, unfortunately, the Building is destined to doom,” the president said on Truth Social. The report also notes that instead, he is ordering notification if that fundraising threshold is met, with at least 60 days notice before the text can be added. The report also notes that alejandra Jaramillo contributed to this report.