Kennedy Center Defends Trump Inscription, Ties 2nd Plaque to $100 Million Fundraising Goal
Updated
Updated · Forbes · Aug 25
Kennedy Center Defends Trump Inscription, Ties 2nd Plaque to $100 Million Fundraising Goal
3 articles · Updated · Forbes · Aug 25
Summary
A court filing overnight urged a judge not to block the Kennedy Center’s plan to inscribe Donald Trump’s name on its front portico, arguing the move honors restoration work rather than unlawfully renaming the venue.
The center said Trump’s fundraising is its “sole hope” for survival, describing the building as dangerously dilapidated and citing decades of losses plus $257 million in congressional funding for structural repairs.
Board-approved plans earlier this month would add a “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” inscription and a second plaque—“Endowed by the Trump Kennedy Center Fund”—if that fund raises more than $100 million.
Rep. Joyce Beatty’s motion to block the inscription relies on a May ruling that only Congress can rename the Kennedy Center, while the center argues naming “President Donald J. Trump Plaza” is legally separate and says Beatty lacks standing.
The legal fight heads to a Thursday hearing after Beatty files a response Wednesday, as the dispute unfolds against reports that projected fiscal 2026 revenue was cut to $124 million from $220 million.