Folks, I’m sipping my coffee and reading about the latest drama surrounding the Kennedy Center, and I have to say, it’s a real treat. A federal judge, US District Judge Casey Cooper, has blocked the latest attempt by the Kennedy Center board of trustees to add President Donald Trump’s name to the building. I mean, who doesn’t love a good game of “let’s add my name to a famous building”?
The proposal, which was set to be discussed by the board of trustees on Tuesday, would have added an inscription thanking the president for renovating and restoring the institution’s edifice. But, as Judge Cooper pointed out, this would have “bucks a federal court order and a statute Congress enacted.” Yeah, because that’s exactly what the Kennedy Center needs – a big ol’ sign with Trump’s name on it.
The ruling was issued just before the board of trustees was set to meet, and I can only imagine the disappointment on their faces when they found out they couldn’t add Trump’s name to the building. The meeting’s agenda initially included additional proposals for putting Trump’s name on the building, but those items were removed from the schedule so that the board could focus solely on whether the center should be shut down for repairs.
Judge Cooper wrote, “Simply put, Defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing.” I mean, it’s not like they didn’t see this coming. An August 13 proposal adopted by the board would have affixed the text “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” to the center’s facade. Because, you know, that’s exactly what the Kennedy Center is missing – a big sign with Trump’s name on it.
The legal wrangling is the latest development in a lawsuit brought by Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democrat who serves as an ex-officio member of the board. She previously secured from Cooper an order blocking the board’s move to change the Kennedy Center’s name to include Trump, and to close the center completely as repair work was done on it. I’m starting to think that Rep. Beatty is the adult in the room here.
In remarks outside of court before Cooper’s ruling, Beatty said she would oppose any new attempts by the board to put his name on the building. Trump, meanwhile, blasted the judge on social media in anticipation that Cooper would rule against the name-change and would prevent the Kennedy Center from being closed to address, in Trump’s words, “Building Safety.” Because, you know, the Kennedy Center is just a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
Trump said on Truth Social, “A very hostile and conflicted Judge (What else is new?) seems like he won’t let that happen, in which case, unfortunately, the Building is destined to doom.” Oh no, the building is doomed! Somewhere in Atlanta, a producer thought this sounded terrifying. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that the building is, you know, a national treasure and a cultural institution.
Cooper held off on ruling on one part of the August 13 resolution – a proposal adding an additional inscription honoring “The Trump Kennedy Center Fund” once $100 million was raised by the endowment. Since the fund has not raised any money yet, ruling on that proposal was “premature,” Cooper said. Instead, he is ordering notification if that fundraising threshold is met, with at least 60 days notice before the text can be added. Because, you know, we all need a little more time to prepare for the impending doom of a Trump-named building.
It is possible that Tuesday’s ruling will be quickly appealed by the Trump administration. Because, why not? It’s not like they have anything better to do. This is a developing story and will be updated, but for now, I’m just going to sit back, sip my coffee, and enjoy the show.
In conclusion, the Kennedy Center drama continues, and I’m here for it. The judge has ruled, the board is disappointed, and Trump is tweeting. It’s just another day in the world of politics. And let’s be real, if the Kennedy Center does get renamed after Trump, I’m sure it’ll be a real boost to the nation’s cultural scene. I mean, who needs a prestigious arts center when you can have a building with Trump’s name on it? 🙄
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
