Kennedy Center executive says dropping Trump’s name could cause ‘irreparable harm’
Kennedy Center Controversy
An official at the Trump-Kennedy Center warned a federal judge that removing Donald Trump‘s name would cause unbearable financial damage, severing a vital fundraising connection.
Charles Matthew Floca, the center’s executive director, stated Trump has already raised tens of millions and committed to raising $150 billion more from private donors.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat, filed a lawsuit in December 2025, challenging the board’s decision to permanently add Trump’s name, calling it an “unlawful personal vanity project.”
Beatty’s lawsuit also contests Trump’s plan to close the center for two years for renovations, arguing only Congress has the authority to rename the institution.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper partially sided with Beatty in March, ruling she must have a “meaningful opportunity to provide input,” while a December 2025 YouGov poll showed 66 percent disapproval for renaming the center.
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