Trump’s DOJ tells court that he is ‘the sole hope’ for Kennedy Center’s survival

The Justice Department is asking a federal appeals court in Washington to let the Kennedy Center's board honor Donald Trump personally, arguing that without such recognition the institution faces financial and structural collapse. In a brief filed Monday, government lawyers contended that a lower-court ruling blocking the board from acknowledging the president will drive away donors, dry up contributions and halt building repairs. They described Trump's standing and his "unrivaled expertise and experience in real estate and construction" as the center's best chance of survival, and urged the appeals court to reverse so the board and Trump can pursue a restoration. Briefing in the appeal is expected to run into the fall, according to MS NOW.

The filing echoes Trump's 2016 campaign line, "I alone can fix it." MS NOW's Jordan Rubin reports that the board, which is friendly to the president, views his prestige as essential to the center's renewal.

Meanwhile, proceedings continue before U. S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who was appointed by Barack Obama and who sided against the administration. Representative Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and board member, won the order removing Trump's name from the building. Earlier this month she alerted Cooper that Trump had been seen reading a placard that appeared to say "Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED," and that his allies seemed to be weighing tearing the center down. She says maintenance concerns are a pretext for shutting it.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →