Trump Ally Makes Urgent Plea Over Kennedy Center, Warns of Irreparable Harm

President Donald Trump’s handpicked leadership at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is defending the president’s name on the building in federal court, arguing that removing it would cause severe financial and operational damage. Matt Floca, the center’s executive director and a Trump ally installed after Ric Grenell stepped down in March, filed a declaration on Tuesday, May 26, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia saying Trump’s involvement has become central to the institution’s fundraising future.

Floca said Trump has already helped raise tens of millions of dollars for the Kennedy Center and has committed to securing an additional $150 million from private donors over the next two years. He warned that if Trump’s name were stripped from the venue, the center could lose an essential fundraising link. According to Floca, that would weaken donor confidence, disrupt development efforts, and put trust-funded artistic programming at risk. He said the result could be “irreparable harm” and leave ongoing operations financially unstable.

The declaration is connected to a lawsuit filed in December 2025 by Joyce Beatty, a Democratic congresswoman and former Kennedy Center board member. Beatty is challenging the board’s decision to permanently attach Trump’s name to the building without approval from Congress. In a March court filing, she argued that lawmakers intended the Kennedy Center to remain a memorial to former President John F. Kennedy and that adding another name to the exterior without legislative authorization undermines that purpose. She also said Congress was especially clear that no other names should appear on the building’s outside apart from references honoring Kennedy.

The White House has strongly defended Trump’s role at the arts institution. Spokesperson Liz Huston told The Daily Beast that Trump stepped in to “rescue and revitalize” the Kennedy Center after years of neglect under Democrats. She said he strengthened the center’s finances, oversaw major building upgrades, removed “woke” programming, and made it a more welcoming venue.

Since Trump became chair of the Kennedy Center board, he has pushed for a programming shift aimed more squarely at conservative audiences while criticizing what he calls “woke culture.” That broader overhaul has coincided with reports of declining ticket sales and canceled performances.

Trump also announced a two-year restoration project in March, with work set to begin in July. CNN reported that the renovation could eliminate between 75 and 175 jobs at the center, which employs roughly 300 people.

The legal fight reflects a broader clash over the Kennedy Center’s identity, governance, and future direction. At issue is whether Trump’s name on the building is a valuable symbol of support and fundraising strength or an unauthorized change to a national cultural landmark built to honor Kennedy alone.