Kennedy Center renews call for Trump-backed shutdown after part of a ceiling collapses
- A section of ceiling collapsed in the Kennedy Center's grand foyer on Friday evening during stormy weather, with no injuries reported.
- The Kennedy Center's board, aligned with Trump, is using the incident to support a proposed two-year closure for $250 million in renovations and to add Trump's name to the building.
- A federal judge ruled in May that adding Trump's name to the Kennedy Center was illegal and blocked the closure plan, but the board voted in August to return his name to the facade.
- A community group opposing the closure suspects the board will use the limited ceiling damage to justify shutting down the entire venue.
A portion of the Kennedy Center's ceiling collapsed in the grand foyer on Friday evening during stormy weather in Washington, with no injuries reported. The center's vice president for public relations stated that the damage underscores the urgent need for a two-year closure to conduct $250 million in renovations, a plan championed by President Trump.
The Kennedy Center's Trump-aligned board is currently fighting in court to add Trump's name to the building's facade and proceed with the closure. In May, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that adding Trump's name was illegal and blocked the closure plan. However, the board voted in August to return Trump's name to the facade, and the matter remains before the judge.
A community group opposing the closure expressed skepticism about the board's use of the ceiling damage, suggesting the board may exaggerate the incident to justify shutting down the entire venue.
肯尼迪中心天花板部分坍塌后重申支持特朗普的关闭计划
肯尼迪中心大厅的天花板在周五晚间华盛顿暴雨期间部分坍塌，未造成人员伤亡。中心公共关系副总裁表示，这一损伤突显了进行两年关闭以进行2.5亿美元翻新的紧迫必要性，这一计划得到特朗普总统的支持。
与特朗普关系密切的肯尼迪中心董事会目前正在法庭上争取在建筑上添加特朗普名字并推进关闭计划。美国地区法官克里斯托弗·库珀在5月裁定添加特朗普名字属于非法行为，并阻止了关闭计划。然而，董事会在8月投票决定恢复特朗普名字，该事项仍在法官审理中。
反对关闭肯尼迪中心的社区组织对董事会利用天花板损伤表示怀疑，暗示董事会可能会夸大这一事件来为关闭整个场馆辩护。