WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper after the judge issued an order that quashed Trump’s plans to overhaul the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. in a decision that Trump called “an anti‑Trump hater” and warned would see the iconic venue “closed…probably never to open again.”
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump condemned the Friday ruling, citing it as further evidence that he was being “treated unfairly.” He reminded readers that the judge had also overseen the blocked renaming of the center, which had removed the president’s name from the venue after Trump’s earlier attempt to append it. Trump tied the decision to the judge’s earlier refusal to lift the tariffs from the Trump‑era trade war, which his administration dismissed as a “big mistake.”
Cooper’s order halted the renovations that were scheduled to begin in July and would have taken roughly two years. The judge also determined that the Kennedy Center board’s March 16 motion to close the venue was “ill‑informed” and that the board had exceeded its statutory bounds by adding Trump’s name to the center’s title – a change that only Congress can approve. Cooper ordered that the name be removed within two weeks.
Trump denied any role in the name change, insisting that the board had added it for “publicity” and qu only claimed a “transformative” new building. He said the board’s decision to revive the center was “a fool’s errand” and predicted that the project would be abandoned by the end of the year.
The president hinted that he might pursue a “chance” to appeal the ruling, but did not confirm whether he would continue court proceedings. He declared that he was ready to hand the project over to Congress if necessary.
The judge, appointed by former President Barack Obama, modestly defended his decision by citing the board’s lack of due process. Cooper had heard a parallel lawsuit filed by a preservation group and a federal election opponent; the judge had awarded those challengers partial standing.
Trump also pointed to evidence that Cooper’s wife, former federal prosecutor and expert counsel to this‑former Attorney General Eric Holder, was involved, which he used to accuse the judge’s office of bias. No independent independent inquiry has found evidence to support the president’s claims.
The Kennedy Center has long been a cultural landmark that blends New Classical and modern performances. Trump’s case confronts the tension between a government‑backed arts project and the federal judiciary’s role in maintaining legal boundaries. The outcome of the appeal remains unclear and the center’s future is on hold pending the court’s further review.}
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump condemned the Friday ruling, citing it as further evidence that he was being “treated unfairly.” He reminded readers that the judge had also overseen the blocked renaming of the center, which had removed the president’s name from the venue after Trump’s earlier attempt to append it. Trump tied the decision to the judge’s earlier refusal to lift the tariffs from the Trump‑era trade war, which his administration dismissed as a “big mistake.”
Cooper’s order halted the renovations that were scheduled to begin in July and would have taken roughly two years. The judge also determined that the Kennedy Center board’s March 16 motion to close the venue was “ill‑informed” and that the board had exceeded its statutory bounds by adding Trump’s name to the center’s title – a change that only Congress can approve. Cooper ordered that the name be removed within two weeks.
Trump denied any role in the name change, insisting that the board had added it for “publicity” and qu only claimed a “transformative” new building. He said the board’s decision to revive the center was “a fool’s errand” and predicted that the project would be abandoned by the end of the year.
The president hinted that he might pursue a “chance” to appeal the ruling, but did not confirm whether he would continue court proceedings. He declared that he was ready to hand the project over to Congress if necessary.
The judge, appointed by former President Barack Obama, modestly defended his decision by citing the board’s lack of due process. Cooper had heard a parallel lawsuit filed by a preservation group and a federal election opponent; the judge had awarded those challengers partial standing.
Trump also pointed to evidence that Cooper’s wife, former federal prosecutor and expert counsel to this‑former Attorney General Eric Holder, was involved, which he used to accuse the judge’s office of bias. No independent independent inquiry has found evidence to support the president’s claims.
The Kennedy Center has long been a cultural landmark that blends New Classical and modern performances. Trump’s case confronts the tension between a government‑backed arts project and the federal judiciary’s role in maintaining legal boundaries. The outcome of the appeal remains unclear and the center’s future is on hold pending the court’s further review.}
