Trump Vows to Keep Kennedy Centre Shut Unless His Name Is Added

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Washington: US President Donald Trump has threatened to close the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts indefinitely unless his name can be placed to the Washington memorial.

Trump's threat came after a federal court on Tuesday banned the Kennedy Centre board from attaching his name to the facility or renaming parts of its grounds without congressional approval. The verdict was the second time Judge Christopher Cooper had rejected proposals to honour Trump at the federally recognised memorial.

The Kennedy Centre board, chaired by Trump and comprising several of his nominees, agreed to close the main building for up to two years for substantial renovations. The renovation is projected to cost over $257 million and comes as the facility faces major financial and structural challenges.

Trump stated that the planned renovations could not proceed unless a higher court allowed his name to be added. He has stated that considerable work is required to solve safety problems at the ageing building, which includes damage to some areas.

However, Judge Cooper found that the board lacks the jurisdiction to build a memorial or change the institution's name without congressional consent. The centre was founded as a national memorial to former President John F. Kennedy.

The dispute has left the future of the major performing-arts venue uncertain, with the closure and renovation plans now unfolding alongside the ongoing legal battle over Trump's name.