Beatty Accuses Kennedy Center Board of Defying May Order, Risking July 5 Shutdown
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 20
Beatty Accuses Kennedy Center Board of Defying May Order, Risking July 5 Shutdown
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 20
Summary
Court papers filed Friday say Rep. Joyce Beatty is accusing the Trump-led Kennedy Center board of violating a May order by refusing to maintain operations and letting the venue drift toward an effective closure on July 5, 2026.
Beatty’s lawyers argued the board is taking no meaningful steps to resume shows, rehearsals or education programs, while the center’s lawyers countered that the court never explicitly required canceled programming to be restored immediately.
The board told the court management will present reopening recommendations, with options ranging from a full closure with no programming to a phased repair plan; a vote is scheduled for mid-July.
Judge Christopher Cooper’s 94-page ruling last month blocked a planned two-year renovation shutdown and said the board has an affirmative duty to carry out programming, even though it acknowledged some restart plans existed.
The dispute follows Trump’s 2025 takeover of the board and the June 13 removal of his name from the building after an appeals court refused to keep the signage in place.