RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The scaffolding and tarp covering the facade of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 13. The tarp remains one of the questions at the center of a federal lawsuit. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
In a status report submitted late Tuesday to a federal court, the Kennedy Center outlined its plans to put President Trump's name back on the arts complex.
The signage proposed by the center's board would eventually read: "The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump, Endowed by the Trump Kennedy Center Fund." The last line would be added only if the fund reaches $100 million in donations. Additionally, the board is seeking to rename the physical grounds of the arts center "President Donald J. Trump Plaza." The Kennedy Center said it would not try to add Trump's name back on the building before Sept. 8.
In its filing, the center also argued that the much-discussed tarp that has been covering the signage at the complex's front entrance is a "necessary element of the ongoing construction activities," and is there in part to protect the marble paneling during the renovation.
Kennedy Center Board votes again to shut main building down — and add Trump's name back
The status report was filed with Judge Christopher R. Cooper, the federal judge presiding over the lawsuit between the Kennedy Center and Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio member of its board. In the same filing, Beatty's lawyers urged Cooper to make a ruling before Sept. 8, writing: "There is thus every reason to believe that Defendants will attempt to effectuate some or part of this latest unlawful resolution at the earliest opportunity after Sept. 8. Moreover, Plaintiff is concerned that Defendants already may have damaged the historic marble that lines the facade with their original desecration of the Center's facade by attaching President Trump's name above President Kennedy's."
Beatty's team also argued that the tarp is not a construction requirement, contending that the center's board "are maintaining scaffolding and a tarp to cover the Kennedy Center's façade to frustrate the intent of the Court's order that the Center be returned to a memorial exclusively honoring President Kennedy."
The Tuesday federal filings also reveal that earlier this month the board was presented with two different options for a Kennedy Center shutdown prepared by a Virginia-based firm, Delta Consulting Group. One of the options was for a total shutdown of the complex; the other was for a partial shutdown. Beatty's lawyers claim Delta has no experience in arts management. NPR requested comment from Delta and the Kennedy Center, but did not receive an immediate reply.
Since last year, NPR has asked the Kennedy Center repeatedly about the experts consulted on this renovation project, but has never received a response. Elements of the Tuesday filing are under seal, including the building plans and the consultant's report.
Separately on Tuesday, the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) – which is an anchor tenant at the Kennedy Center, and whose finances are deeply intertwined with the complex itself – announced its upcoming 2026-27 performance season. The orchestra will rotate its concerts between six different venues in the greater Washington, D.C. region.
The NSO has fallen into a deep financial crisis amid a widespread Kennedy Center boycott by both artists and audiences, according to multiple NSO internal sources who are not authorized to speak publicly. The orchestra's money woes were first reported by The Washington Post .
Venue switches can pose huge uphill battles for arts organizations, as they require audiences to put aside their performance-attending routines. In the case of the NSO, however, performances outside of the Kennedy Center at this point may prove more attractive to prospective concertgoers, even if the venue were to remain open during construction.
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