The Kennedy Center's board of trustees voted to approve a plan to close the center for two years and restore President Donald Trump's name to the historic performing arts building, just about three months after a court ordered his name removed.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio who serves on the board as a congressional leader, joined with lawyers in issuing a statement on Thursday condemning the moves.
“The decision to close the Center this morning and the surprise agenda item to restore Donald Trump's name to the building is a repeat of what has happened before,” Beatty said.
“This latest development is an attempt to circumvent the court's ruling and goes against the laws passed by Congress,” Beatty added. “I will continue to fight for this treasured national landmark.”
Last year, the board voted to rename the center the “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,” sparking national controversy and lawsuits. A judge ordered Trump's name removed, ruling that only Congress, not the board, had the authority to change the name.
Following a contentious legal battle in May, the judge ordered Trump's name stripped and also blocked a planned shutdown scheduled for July 5, calling the board's earlier vote “uninformed and seemingly prearranged.”
The decision to fully close the center was the most drastic of three options considered. Other choices, including a partial four-year closure or a phased shutdown focused on major renovations, were also presented to the board.
The recent decisions by the Kennedy Center could add further legal troubles for the historic site, which has been mired in lawsuits since Trump returned to power.
Also this week, a judge awarded jazz artist Chuck Redd more than $250,000 after the center sued him for canceling a performance related to the Trump-linked renaming.
The Kennedy Center did not respond to Al Jazeera's request for comment.
