CA, US & World
Fencing Goes Up at Kennedy Center Amid Closure and Legal Dispute
Fencing went up around the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Wednesday as the historic performing arts center faced a new round of legal and political disputes over its planned closure and renovation.
The development came one day after the Kennedy Center’s board voted to immediately close the main building for an approximately two-year renovation. The board cited safety concerns and the deteriorating condition of parts of the facility.
The center has remained closed while the legal dispute continues. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper previously blocked efforts to add President Donald Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center, ruling that the center could not be renamed without congressional approval.
The court has also questioned the immediate closure. Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democratic member of the Kennedy Center board, filed an emergency motion arguing that the center appeared to be violating the judge’s order by closing the building without first obtaining permission. Cooper ordered the center to explain the closure by Thursday morning.
The Kennedy Center board has cited several building concerns, including water intrusion, deteriorating materials and a section of plaster that fell from the Grand Foyer ceiling during a September storm. No one was injured in that incident. Center management has described some of the conditions as posing imminent life-safety risks.
Beatty’s attorneys have disputed some of the safety claims, saying a consulting firm cited by the center had not concluded that the building was unsafe for continued occupancy.
Congress has approved roughly $257 million for Kennedy Center renovations. Trump has said the renovation should move forward only if his administration receives recognition, including having his name added to the building. On Wednesday, he also said the center could eventually close permanently and be demolished if his conditions are not met.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has left Washington early for the midterm election campaign, delaying consideration of Rep. Thomas Massie’s resolution seeking to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Massie filed the resolution as a privileged measure, meaning the House will have to address it under the chamber’s rules when lawmakers return.
The House is scheduled to return after the November midterm elections, although Speaker Mike Johnson said lawmakers could be called back to Washington with 48 hours’ notice if necessary.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
September 17, 2026
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