The saga of the Kennedy Center continues as a United States federal judge has said that the Trump administration cannot alter or demolish the storied performing arts centre without at least 30 days' notice.
Judge Christopher Copper issued the order after receiving a submission comprising comments made by Donald Trump this week that the Washington DC building would have to be "ripped down".
The administration has been in a long-standing clash over the 1960's building, named in tribute to the assassinated president John F Kennedy. In December, a Trump-appointed board of trustees voted to add his name to the building, a move later blocked by the courts.
A threatened shutdown of the centre is now in place, with Matt Floca, the Kennedy Center's Trump-backed executive director, saying the building has been temporarily closed to assess safety risks in areas "exhibiting severe structural deterioration."
Trump installed himself as chair of the centre soon after taking office for the second time last year, ousting 18 board members appointed by former president Joe Biden and inserting his own allies to positions.
The Washington Post recently reported that the centre would only collect US$124 million ($174 million) of the US$220 million ($309 million) it had projected for the period between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026, leaving a "roughly $23 million deficit" after spending cuts.
In June, workers removed Trump's name from the outside of the building, following Judge Cooper's orders, which affirmed that only Congress has the power to alter its exterior.