Greg Werkheiser is a founding partner of the law firm Cultural Heritage Partners, PLLC. He is one of the attorneys representing eight architecture and preservation organizations in a federal lawsuit over changes to the Kennedy Center (No. 1:26-cv-00981).
Case
After a federal judge barred two board-approved recognitions of him, Donald Trump spoke of the Kennedy Center's renovation and closure in terms of recognition for his administration. The White House and Rep. Joyce Beatty's lawyers describe what he meant differently.
Role at the time: Founding partner of Cultural Heritage Partners and attorney for the eight plaintiff organizations in D.C. Preservation League v. Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, speaking at a press briefing for reporters
Statement summary
At a press briefing on September 17, 2026, Greg Werkheiser, an attorney for eight preservation organizations suing over the Kennedy Center, said that President Trump, if he has the capacity to raise money the center needs, is legally obligated to raise it or step aside, according to ARTnews. ARTnews also reported that he characterized the president's position on repairs and fundraising without his name on the building as a "hostage-taking" situation. The quotation begins mid-sentence; "he" refers to Trump, per ARTnews.
“he is legally obligated—if he has the capacity to raise money and they need it, he must raise that money or step aside.”
The case's fixed reference point is President Trump's stated position that the Kennedy Center's closure and renovation depend on recognition for his administration, as expressed in his Truth Social post of 2026-09-15 and reaffirmed in his remarks in Charlotte on 2026-09-16. Speaking as the plaintiffs' counsel two days later, Werkheiser said Trump is legally obligated to raise the money the center needs or step aside, and ARTnews reported that he characterized the position as a "hostage-taking" situation, which expressly rejects tying the work to recognition. The closest competing label is mixed_or_conditional, because the quoted sentence contains an "if he has the capacity" clause. That loses because the clause defines the scope of the duty he asserts and does not make his rejection of the condition depend on anything unresolved.
Statement dates: September 17, 2026
Statement dates: September 17, 2026
Statement dates: September 17, 2026
