Public disputes concerning cultural institutions, their programming, funding, governance, naming and physical facilities, and the artists and audiences who rely on them.
Published coverage on this page: 1 case · 1 statement. Statements are ordered newest first.
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.
Published
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25 matching statements
Role at the time: President of the United States and chair of the Kennedy Center's board of trustees, posting on his verified Truth Social account
Statement summary
In a Truth Social post on September 15, Trump wrote that the Kennedy Center board had agreed to close the building for safety reasons, that the closing would take place immediately, and that the renovation and reconstruction could not begin until the D.C. Circuit rules on the board's approved name. He wrote that if that ruling is negative and is not overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, the renovation and reconstruction “will not take place,” and that Justice Department attorneys would ask for an expedited appeal.
Quotation excerpt
“The Board of The Kennedy Center today agreed, almost unanimously, to close the Building for Safety reasons, and so that it can begin the process of Reconstruction. The closing will take place immediately, however, the Renovation and…”
“The Board of The Kennedy Center today agreed, almost unanimously, to close the Building for Safety reasons, and so that it can begin the process of Reconstruction. The closing will take place immediately, however, the Renovation and Reconstruction, which is a very large and complex job, cannot begin until such time as the D.C. Circuit rules on the Board's approved name. 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 Center will not take place.”
What this label refers to
The case's fixed reference point is Trump's stated position that the Kennedy Center's closure and renovation depend on recognition for his administration, as expressed in this September 15 Truth Social post and reaffirmed in his September 16 remarks in Charlotte. In the post Trump says the board agreed to close the building for safety reasons, that the closing is immediate, that renovation “cannot begin until such time as the D.C. Circuit rules on the Board’s approved name,” and that it “will not take place” if a negative ruling is not overturned, an outcome he says “should not be.” The closest competing label is mixed_or_conditional, because the renovation is stated as contingent on a court ruling. That loses because the contingency is the content of the position being recorded, not a qualification of Trump's own stance toward it; the post gives a safety reason for the closure and expresses no reservation about the position.
Hakeem Jeffries is a United States Congressional representative from New York and House Democratic leader.
1 case and 1 statement
Roma Daravi is vice president of public relations at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She previously served as a deputy communications director in the first Trump White House.
1 case and 1 statement
Jamie Raskin is a Democratic United States representative from Maryland and a constitutional-law scholar. He serves on the House Judiciary Committee and previously taught constitutional law.
1 case and 1 statement
Norm Eisen is an American attorney who served as U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic (2011-2014) and as White House special counsel for ethics and government reform, and is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. He is a co-founder of Democracy Defenders Action, whose lawyers represent Rep. Joyce Beatty in her lawsuit over the Kennedy Center.
1 case and 1 statement
Maria Shriver is an American journalist, author and NBC News special anchor who founded the Women's Alzheimer's Movement and publishes The Sunday Paper newsletter. She is a daughter of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and a niece of President John F. Kennedy.
1 case and 1 statement
Kerry Kennedy is president of the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, a human rights lawyer and activist, and a daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and a niece of President John F. Kennedy.
1 case and 1 statement
Contributing editor at HotAir, a conservative news analysis and commentary site; he joined HotAir full time in 2016 after writing at Breitbart and on his blog Verum Serum.
1 case and 1 statement
United States Senator (Democratic) from Virginia.
1 case and 1 statement
United States Representative and Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Washington's 2nd district.
1 case and 1 statement
