Washington, Sep 16 (V7N)- US President Donald Trump has threatened to block reconstruction and renovation of the Kennedy Center unless a court ruling preventing his name from being added to the building is overturned.
The threat came Tuesday (September 15), shortly after US District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the Kennedy Center board could not add Trump's name to the building or its grounds without congressional approval.
Following the ruling, the Kennedy Center board voted to close the performing arts venue for renovations. Reuters reported that the planned closure could last up to two years and involve a $257 million renovation project.
Trump said on his Truth Social account that the renovation would not proceed if the ruling is upheld and not overturned by the US Supreme Court. He also said the closure would take place immediately.
The Kennedy Center has said the board's decision to close the facility is related to safety and necessary renovation work. The board has argued that the building requires significant repairs.
Judge Cooper's latest ruling followed an earlier decision blocking efforts to rename the institution after Trump. In Tuesday's order, Cooper said the board could not install a memorial honoring Trump or anyone else at the Kennedy Center without approval from Congress.
The Kennedy Center was established by Congress as a living memorial to former President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. The institution opened in 1971 and serves as a major performing arts venue in Washington.
Trump became chairman of the Kennedy Center's board after returning to the White House and subsequently appointed numerous board members. The dispute over his name has become part of a broader legal and political battle over the institution's management and future.
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