WASHINGTON — Historic preservation advocates appeared in federal court Wednesday asking a judge to stop President Donald Trump’s proposed major construction work at the Kennedy Center, Washington’s renowned performing arts complex that has undergone significant changes since Trump returned to the presidency.
The coalition of cultural and preservation organizations wants U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper to grant a preliminary injunction stopping all construction before the planned July 6 beginning date. They express concern that Trump and the center’s board of trustees may ignore historic preservation regulations designed to protect the building that welcomes millions of annual visitors.
Following Wednesday’s court session, attorney Greg Werkheiser explained that the governing statutes address “the very fundamental question of: Do we slow down and take stock before we make changes to properties that define the American experience?”
Federal prosecutors defending the president and board contended Wednesday that the proposed building modifications are narrow in scope and fall clearly within the board’s existing powers, requiring no additional governmental approvals.
Trump has focused considerable attention on the Kennedy Center since resuming the presidency. He removed the facility’s former management team and installed his own chosen board members, who subsequently appointed him as chairman. These leadership changes sparked significant criticism from the arts community and worsened the center’s budget problems. Trump’s name was subsequently added to the building’s exterior, and he revealed the renovation plans earlier this year.
Beyond serving as a top-tier arts and cultural institution, the Kennedy Center functions as a “living monument” honoring President John F. Kennedy, who secured funding for the project’s construction but was killed before its completion. Located along the Potomac River, the enormous building with its distinctive white marble exterior has become an iconic feature of Washington’s skyline.
This marks the second consecutive day of legal proceedings concerning the Kennedy Center’s future. Representative Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat, has filed a separate lawsuit seeking to prevent the renovations in her capacity as an ex officio board member. Judge Cooper is presiding over both cases. For the second straight day, the judge’s balanced questioning of both legal teams made it challenging to predict his eventual decision.
During his testimony, executive director Matt Floca, a former facilities manager promoted by the Trump-appointed board, described the planned work as necessary maintenance to address years of deterioration, including significant water damage to a section of the building staff dubbed “the swamp.”
“The most efficient and effective way to complete the magnitude of projects we need to complete is to close the center,” Floca testified.
Lawyers representing the preservation groups questioned whether the project scope is truly limited, citing Trump’s public comments about plans to “fully expose” the building’s steel framework.
Yaakov Roth, the Justice Department lawyer defending the president, dismissed these concerns as excessive.
“There’s no risk that there will be unilateral changes … that we’ll wake up and the building will be gone,” Roth argued.
The Kennedy Center legal battles reflect broader disputes over Trump’s initiatives to make permanent changes to Washington’s landscape. Since taking office, the former New York real estate developer has frustrated preservationists by renovating the White House’s historic Rose Garden. Last October, the administration demolished the White House’s East Wing to construct a $400 million ballroom.
In addition to the Kennedy Center, Trump has also placed his name on the United States Institute of Peace building. The president is also pursuing plans for constructing a 250-foot “triumphal arch.”
