Trump tells TIME "I'm not committing to anything" on the Kennedy Center, says his administration "should be recognized"
Donald TrumpPresident of the United States and chairman of the Kennedy Center board, interviewed by TIME
Asked in a TIME interview whether he would commit to not bringing wrecking balls to the Kennedy Center without congressional consent, President Trump said "I'm not committing to anything" and "We're going to see how it plays out in court". He said that if he builds it and puts up money to keep it open, "then I think the Trump administration should be recognized", and asked why he would "stick with something that's going to lose hundreds of millions of dollars, and I'm not even recognized".
“I’m not committing to anything. We’re going to see how it plays out in court,” … “But if I build it, and if I agree that for the rest of my life, I’m going to be putting up $100 million to have it open to people … then I think the Trump administration should be recognized.” … “Well, why would I want to stick with something that’s going to lose hundreds of millions of dollars, and I’m not even recognized?” … “It’s not me; it’s the administration.”
Interview
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should Donald Trump link the Kennedy Center's renovation to recognition for his administration?
On September 15, 2026, a federal judge barred the Kennedy Center board, chaired by Donald Trump, from inscribing "renovated and restored by Donald J. Trump" on its main building or renaming the grounds for him. The board then voted to close the main building, and Trump posted that renovation "cannot begin until such time as the D.C. Circuit rules on the Board's approved name" and "will not take place" if that ruling is negative and not overturned. In Charlotte on September 16 he said the administration "should certainly have recognition. Because frankly, if we don't do that, it's going to close. It'll end up being ripped down." The White House says the center will "inevitably continue to decline" without his intervention; Rep. Joyce Beatty's lawyers wrote that Trump said "if he is not recognized on the building, it will close and be ripped down." The dispute is over whether the renovation should depend on recognition for Trump's administration and what his remarks mean.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
TIME published this cover story on October 1, 2026, based on a 75-minute Oval Office interview. The article does not give the interview date. It reports that Trump would not promise to refrain from bringing wrecking balls to the Kennedy Center without congressional approval.
Reporting
About this source
The Hill reported on October 1, 2026 on Trump's remarks about the Kennedy Center in his TIME interview, quoting longer passages than the TIME cover story, including his statements that "the Trump administration should be recognized" and "It's not me; it's the administration."
Before the quotation
TIME reported that Trump would not rule out declaring a national emergency or invoking the Insurrection Act around the midterms, and asked whether he would commit to not demolishing the Kennedy Center without congressional consent.
After the quotation
The Hill reported that Trump also said he would be "willing to save it, but it's in terrible, terrible shape" and called the judge who ruled his name had to be removed a "radical-left Trump hater".
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Trump again ties his willingness to rebuild and fund the center to recognition for his administration, and declines to rule out demolition while the court case over the name continues. That defends linking the renovation to recognition. No competing label fits: he does not qualify the link or distance himself from it.
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More from this case
Read the full caseKerry Kennedy says Congress already funded the Kennedy Center's restoration and tells Trump "That's not your job"
“this is the memorial created by the United States Congress to a slain president. So, putting Trump's name on it would be like renaming the Washington Monument the Trump Washington Monument or the Trump Lincoln Memorial or the Trump Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. ... And their argument is they're not -- there is not money for it. But in the Big Beautiful Bill, they -- the Congress passed $246 million in order to restore the Kennedy Center. So that's just not true. ... So President Trump, do your job. Focus on the people's pain and the work that you're supposed to do in the -- in the Oval Office and not on the Kennedy Center. That's not your job.”Read statement
Jeff Merkley says Trump wants to destroy the Kennedy Center because the law bars his name on it
“Perhaps the greatest living memorial for a president is the Kennedy Center, in honor of our slain president who championed the arts. But now President Trump—without authorization from Congress—is trying to tear it down. First, he destroyed its programming, and now, he wants to destroy the building itself. All because the law says Trump can’t put his name on the building.”Read statement
Chellie Pingree says “it is bonkers” and that Trump is “the No. 1 problem” the Kennedy Center has had
“It is bonkers. … The No. 1 problem the Kennedy Center has had is President Trump.”Read statement
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- Trump tells TIME "I'm not committing to anything" on the Kennedy Center, says his administration "should be recognized"
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The Dispute Index. "Trump tells TIME "I'm not committing to anything" on the Kennedy Center, says his administration "should be recognized"". First published: 2026-10-17. Last updated: 2026-10-17. https://disputeindex.com/events/5974-asked-in-a-time-interview-whether-he-would