Trending 
US President Donald Trump has threatened to keep the Kennedy Centre closed indefinitely after a federal judge ruled that his name cannot be added to the facade of the iconic Washington arts institution.
Trump said his hand-picked board had voted “almost unanimously” to shut the venue immediately for emergency renovations, hours after Judge Christopher Cooper rejected efforts to restore plans to rename the centre after the president.
The US president warned that the planned repairs would not proceed unless a higher court overturns the ruling. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said, “If the ruling is a negative one, which it should not be, and is not overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Reconstruction and the Renovation of The Kennedy Centre will not take place.”
The Kennedy Centre said the board’s decision reflected “sound judgment and a clear prioritisation of safety above all else.”
Trump became chairman shortly after beginning his second term, replacing the centre’s previous leadership. In December, the board voted to rename the venue the “Trump-Kennedy” Centre and installed signage carrying his name.
However, Judge Cooper later ordered Trump’s name removed from the building’s exterior and ruled that the board could not proceed with further changes without congressional approval.
In his latest decision, Cooper said the board could not “install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Centre without Congress’s blessing.”
Trump and his allies have argued that the centre needs major repairs, citing structural concerns, including an incident in which part of the ceiling fell after a storm. Trump previously said that if the building had been occupied during the incident, “innocent people would have been killed.”
The dispute has also affected performances at the venue, with several artists cancelling appearances following Trump’s takeover. Reports have indicated that ticket sales have declined since the leadership change.
The Kennedy Centre controversy is part of a wider effort by Trump and his administration to place his name on major projects in Washington, including plans for a presidential ballroom and other monuments. The legal battle over the arts institution is expected to continue as both sides await further court action.
