WASHINGTON — A federal judge hearing a case that could determine the fate of Washington’s Kennedy Center challenged the Trump administration’s decision to completely shut down the renowned performing arts facility for two years of renovations beginning in July.
During Tuesday’s court session, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper pressed government representatives on their rationale for the total closure, questioning whether adequate research supported such a drastic measure.
The hearing marked the first of two consecutive court proceedings addressing legal challenges to Kennedy Center changes. Judge Cooper refrained from immediate action after extensively questioning lawyers from both sides, leaving his eventual ruling uncertain.
Cooper pressed government attorney Brantley Mayers about missing financial analysis regarding the closure’s economic impact, including lost sponsorships, canceled bookings, and revenue shortfalls. “I didn’t see any numbers,” the judge stated.
The judge also inquired why the government rejected phased renovation approaches, noting this had been the “status quo” before the administration abruptly shifted toward complete closure.
The legal challenge stems from a lawsuit filed by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat serving as an ex officio Kennedy Center trustee. Beatty’s case, originally filed last year against President Trump and other administration officials, expanded in February to contest the two-year closure plan.
Trump has focused considerable attention on the Kennedy Center since returning to office, removing previous leadership and installing a handpicked board that appointed him chairman. These changes sparked criticism from numerous artists and worsened the venue’s financial difficulties. Trump’s name was subsequently added to the building’s exterior, and he announced the renovation project earlier this year.
Judge Cooper devoted over half the two-hour session to questioning Nathaniel Zelinsky, senior counsel at the Washington Litigation Group, about technical aspects of Beatty’s legal standing to pursue the lawsuit.
The judge postponed any immediate decisions, including potential injunctions against the center’s name modification.
During proceedings, Norm Eisen, a Democracy Defenders Action board member serving as co-counsel with Zelinsky, cited numerous statutory references establishing the intended name as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
After the hearing, Beatty expressed concerns about potential changes during closure. “We went through the same thing at the White House. I was right outside there when we saw the bulldozers,” she said, referencing Trump’s modifications to the East Wing and Rose Garden.
Despite assurances from new executive director Matt Floca about appropriate renovation practices, Beatty said she doesn’t trust the president’s approach.
A second hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, addressing a separate lawsuit filed by eight cultural preservation organizations also opposing the closure and renovation plans.
Cooper indicated he wants specific questions answered at Wednesday’s hearing, particularly regarding what happens to Kennedy Center operations during closure, including whether any public access would remain available.
