President Donald Trump is calling for a federal judge who ruled against his Kennedy Center renaming and renovation plans to face charges.
On Saturday, Trump issued a more than 700-word screed on Truth Social, lamenting a ruling the previous day by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper temporarily blocking his planned renovations at the Kennedy Center and demanding that his name be removed from the structure.
“The Kennedy Center’s organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board’s unilateral say-so,” Cooper ruled. “Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.”
Trump accused Cooper of ruling against him “because his wife probably told him to do so” and went on to accuse him of having a conflict of interest because of his wife’s politics.
“Cooper’s wife, Amy Jeffress, who doesn’t use the ‘Cooper’ name because they, as a couple, don’t want people to know that she has a Conflict of Interest with an important Judge, is a Radical Left Democrat, who worked as a Federal Prosecutor and Counselor to Obama Attorney General, Eric Holder,” Trump said.
He then said the alleged conflict of interest should result in charges being brought against Cooper.
“Amy is totally wired into the Left System, from her husband down, and it is impossible for me to be treated fairly. He has a total Conflict of Interest, and should be brought up on charges for not revealing these facts,” Trump wrote. “That is why The Kennedy Center will soon be closed, probably never to open again.”
In his Truth Social post, Trump offered an exaggerated view of the Kennedy Center, painting it as a dilapidated hovel that is “in a potential state of collapse, rusted, rotted, and rat and bug infested.”
“The marble is in terrible shape, the pipes are gone, the air conditioning and heating systems are 65 years old, and no longer functioning. It was all being torn out to be replaced by brand new Carrier Equipment, at the highest standard,” Trump said of his plans.
He continued, saying the renovation will be stalled now “because a Judge, whose wife is an anti Trump Hater, and he is too, decided, unprecedentedly, to not allow a desperately needed Building Renovation to go forward.”
“On top of that, he said, ‘Rip his name off the Building, he’s got 20 days to do so,’ even though a large Board of some of the most distinguished people in the Country voted unanimously to put the name up. I didn’t do it, the Board did because they thought it would be good for this dying Institution,” Trump said.
The Board he is referring to is the new Kennedy Center Board of Trustees, which he appointed after firing the previous board. His hand-picked board — which includes White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scovino, Vice President JD Vance’s wife, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s wife, and Trump himself — were the ones who chose to add his name to the building.
Since the renaming, more than a dozen major acts have canceled their performances at the Kennedy Center in protest.
The Kennedy Center said it planned to appeal the judge’s ruling on Friday.
“We will review the decision carefully though the reality remains — the Center requires an urgent and significant restoration – a truth that even the plaintiff acknowledges,” Kennedy Center Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravai said, according to NPR.
“With $257 million secured by President Trump and approved by Congress, the resources are in place and we remain committed to pursuing every lawful avenue to ensure the Trump Kennedy Center is restored as a national cultural landmark for all Americans to enjoy,” the statement said.
