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Trump lawyers threaten Kennedy Center demolition over renovations
BBC News··27 Aug
Justice Department lawyers told a court the Kennedy Center could be demolished if planned renovations are blocked, filings show. They also asked that President Donald Trump's name be restored after a June court order forced its removal. Without renovations, they wrote, the venue would become unsafe and have to come down. A judge had ruled the renaming needed congressional approval.
Prism
What It Means For You
- A blocked renovation order, lawyers argued, would dry up donors and stop structural work.
- After demolition, filings float options including a large outdoor amphitheatre on the Potomac.
- The board had voted for a two-year closure for the proposed renovations.
What's Happening
- Attorneys asked the court to put Trump's name back on the facade.
- A US judge in May ruled the name was added unlawfully without Congress.
- Many board members who backed the plan are Trump allies appointed by the president.
What the Law Says
- US law designates the centre as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
- Renaming therefore requires congressional approval, the May ruling held.
- The demolition threat sits inside that wider renaming and renovation dispute.
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