Can a federally funded arts center bypass Congress to alter its name, or will structural decay force its replacement with an amphitheater?

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No. Based on the court rulings so far, the Kennedy Center’s board cannot unilaterally change the federally established name of the institution; only Congress can do that. Judge Christopher Cooper has already ruled that the center’s organic statute makes clear it is a memorial to John F. Kennedy and that the board cannot add another formal memorial name or place another individual’s name on the front portico on its own. That is why Trump’s earlier name on the façade was ordered removed, and why the latest proposal — “The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump,” plus “President Donald J. Trump Plaza” — is being challenged in court. Opponents argue it is simply a new version of the same unlawful renaming. The Aug. 27 hearing is expected to test whether the revised wording is legally distinct or still violates the prior order. As for demolition and replacement with an amphitheater, that is only a threatened or hypothetical scenario, not an approved plan. Justice Department lawyers argued that without the administration’s preferred fundraising and recognition plan, the building could continue to deteriorate and might eventually need to be torn down. But reporting and prior court findings indicate the center has already received about $257 million in congressional capital funding, and earlier internal planning did not clearly show that total demolition or even a full closure was the only option. So the immediate …

Trump Threatens Kennedy Center Demolition Over $100 Million Naming Demand as Court Weighs Closure

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Trump Threatens Kennedy Center Demolition Over $100 Million Naming Demand as Court Weighs Closure

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