Trump’s battle to rename the Kennedy Center has put its future at risk
Donald Trump has threatened to demolish the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after courts blocked his attempt to rename the facility. The president took control of the institution in early 2025, replacing leadership and altering programming, which led to a significant decline in audiences and financial support. Legal experts and critics argue that the administration lacks the authority to destroy the building, which was established by Congress as a national memorial.
- ▪Trump threatened to close or demolish the Kennedy Center after losing legal battles to add his name to the institution.
- ▪The president replaced the center's leadership with loyalists and removed programming deemed politically inappropriate, causing a drop in attendance and donations.
- ▪Legal analysts state that the president does not have the statutory authority to demolish the building because it was created by an act of Congress.
- ▪Kerry Kennedy, niece of the late president, criticized the actions as spiteful and emphasized that the center serves as a living memorial to John F. Kennedy.
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — World |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/19/trump-kennedy-center-future |
| Publication time | Sat, 19 Sep 2026 13:30:48 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-19T13:43:46.302Z |
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Trump has no legal right to demolish the Kennedy Center, which was established by Congress. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenTrump has no legal right to demolish the Kennedy Center, which was established by Congress. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty ImagesDonald TrumpAnalysisTrump’s battle to rename the Kennedy Center has put its future at riskDavid Smith in WashingtonThe president has threatened to block renovations and suggested the landmark could be demolished after courts ruled against his bid to rename it Sat 19 Sep 2026 09.30 EDTLast modified on Sat 19 Sep 2026 09.31 EDTShareIt was born with the world premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass.
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