Arabic version: مجلس مركز كينيدي يصوّت على إغلاقه لعامين

According to BBC News, the Kennedy Center board has voted to close the performing arts centre for two years, shortly after a federal judge blocked the addition of President Donald Trump’s name to the building. The board is chaired by Trump and includes cabinet members and allies.

Judge Christopher Cooper’s written order said the board could not install memorials for Trump or anyone else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s approval. He said Congress had chosen to memorialise President John F Kennedy, “and no one else, at the Center bearing his name”. The board had approved an inscription reading, “Renovated and Restored by President Donald J. Trump” in August.

Trump said on Truth Social that the board voted “almost unanimously” to close the venue for safety reasons. He said the closure would take place immediately, but renovations could not begin until the court ruled on the board’s approved name. Trump said the Department of Justice would seek an expedited appeal and that he would take the case to the Supreme Court if the ruling was negative.

The centre cannot close unless Cooper lifts a temporary block imposed in May, requiring it to remain open while a lawsuit brought by board member Joyce Beatty proceeds. Cooper said the board could ask for the block to be lifted if it reached a decision to close “in a prudent manner”. CNN reported that a request was expected by Friday.

Beatty, an Ohio Democratic congresswoman, said the centre had long planned phased renovations while continuing some performances. She said Trump’s attempted renaming had contributed to artists and audiences leaving. The Kennedy Center administration had told the board that it faced a precarious fiscal position, according to the Washington Post, while Trump and centre leaders have cited safety concerns. The Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to the BBC’s request for comment.