Trump-appointed panel shuts down Kennedy Center amid safety fears

On Tuesday, an emergency vote saw the leadership panel handpicked by President Donald Trump decide to shut down the Kennedy Center immediately. This sudden move came just hours after a federal judge in Washington DC stopped the board from rebranding the building with Trump's name. The trustees claimed the historic landmark has sunk into dire financial ruin and physical decay, prompting this drastic step. They argued that emergency structural work could no longer wait following a terrifying partial ceiling collapse inside the main Grand Foyer earlier this month.

A draft resolution outlining the proposed two-year shutdown states that both the center's top director and a structural consultant consider the main building unsafe for continued occupancy. They anticipate further risk to the public and employees if the structure stays open without immediate renovations. This dramatic action marks the third time since February that the board has pushed to shutter the cultural landmark for a massive overhaul. Originally, they set a shutdown date of July 5, but legal battles have completely stalled those plans.

Attorneys representing the board claim ongoing litigation has crippled their ability to carry out vital maintenance. The DC judge presiding over the case fired back during Tuesday's hearing, reminding the board that his original court order halting a full-scale lockdown specifically exempted emergency repairs. According to a source familiar with the private meeting, board chairman President Trump tuned in virtually for several minutes to take jabs at both Rep. Joyce Beatty and the judge responsible for keeping his name off the building.

A court filing notes that the Kennedy Center is in such a precarious fiscal position it will not be able to support its payroll obligations or routine maintenance contracts within weeks. It adds that President Trump has offered to step in and raise the necessary funds to keep the Center from bankruptcy. Last month, the board voted to rename the property President Donald J. Trump Plaza and add text saying renovated and restored by President Donald J. Trump to the building by Sept. 8. The new draft resolution proposes several similar ideas to fix the institution before it falls apart completely.