On Wednesday evening, Donald Trump was snapped while studying what appeared to be a sign reading “Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED” as he touched down at Joint Base Andrews. The pictures came from inside the cabin of Air Force One, captured through a window by Agence France-Presse photojournalist Brendan Smialowski, who was serving as the pool photographer for White House coverage.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs neither side and stands for keeping public institutions like the Kennedy Center independent of political threats, against any office or agency using its power to close or demolish a national institution over a matter of official recognition. The images from Air Force One are striking, but they do not change the judgment that the board’s vote and the president’s warning rest on a dispute between a board acting on its own and a court order that has not been overturned.
The placard’s meaning is unclear and its full text not shown; the story rests on a single photograph and context, not on the placard’s intent.
What the reader should watch for is whether the board’s decision to close the building is treated as a fait accompli by the president or the administration, or whether the courts continue to treat it as a temporary step that must bend to the law. The paper will follow this story closely, watching for any move that treats the Kennedy Center as a bargaining chip rather than a national trust.
Key Facts Box
- Sign text: “Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED”; the published images show only the word cut off as “DEMOLIS.”
- Trump’s warning: Delivered Wednesday on the tarmac in North Carolina; the center could “close” or be “ripped down” if recognition isn’t granted.
- Court orders: Cooper ordered the name removed within two weeks in May; appeals court rejected a bid to remove the order in July.
- Board vote: Shut down for two years, voted last month; then on Tuesday the board voted instead to close the building right away.
- Congress funding: $257 million appropriated last year for renovations.
The Sign Over the Cabin Window
On Wednesday evening, photographs were snapped while Trump touched down at Joint Base Andrews. Smialowski’s pictures show the president staring at the sign from within the cabin. The shots do not reveal the whole placard, with the word “DEMOLISHED” partly hidden, appearing as “DEMOLIS.”.
Trump’s Warning About the Center
The images come as the president presses forward with plans to rename the Kennedy Center. On Wednesday, Trump told reporters on the tarmac in North Carolina that the center could “close” or be “ripped down” if his administration doesn’t receive recognition on the performing arts site.
The leader spoke directly about the matter, saying “I think that the Trump administration should certainly have recognition. Because frankly, if we don’t do that, it’s going to close. It’ll end up being ripped down,”.
On Tuesday, Trump posted on social media that the renovations Congress approved will not happen unless his name is added onto the building once more.
The Court Orders Against Trump’s Name
In a federal court filing Thursday morning, Kennedy Center executive director Matt Floca said the current closure of the main building is only “temporary,” set to last for seven days, and will be reevaluated on a weekly basis.
In May, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper determined that Trump’s name had to come down. Cooper wrote in a decision that the center’s rebranding had broken the law, and he commanded that the name be stripped from its place within two weeks.
A group of D.C. Circuit appeals court judges turned down a bid by Trump and other board members in July to remove the court’s order that Trump’s name from the building while keeping it in place.
The board of trustees at the Kennedy Center — a group Trump filled with his own people last year — voted last month to shut down the renowned cultural institution for a two-year renovation. On Tuesday, the board changed course and voted instead to close the building right away.
On Tuesday, Cooper also put his stamp on the matter with a written order that barred any effort to add Trump’s name to the building, finding that such an attempt would run against both a prior court order and a congressional statute.
“Simply put, Defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing. The board resolution bucks a federal court order and a statute Congress enacted.” is a quote from Cooper.
The ABC News Contributors
Devin Garbitt, Michelle Stoddart, Karen Travers and Steven Portnoy all worked on this report. Each of them served as an ABC News contributor rather than a board member.
Congress last year appropriated $257 million for needed renovations.
What Remains Unresolved
The placard’s full text remains unknown beyond what was published. The photos show the word cut off as “DEMOLIS,” leaving readers to guess at the sign’s complete message.
One side’s legal case is settled, while the other side’s is still open. A ruling has come from the bench, an appeals court has refused to put a hold in place, and the board has voted to shut down. The question now is whether the president can find a way around the law.
The images came Wednesday night, as Trump touched down at Joint Base Andrews. A placard bore the words “Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED”, and the pictures themselves show “DEMOLIS”. The photographer was Brendan Smialowski of Agence France-Presse.
The board behind the decision includes Karen Travers, Michelle Stoddart, Devin Garbitt, and Steven Portnoy, all ABC News contributors. Congress has set aside $257 million for the work. A judge named Cooper ordered the name removed within two weeks in May. In July, an appeals court refused a stay.
On Tuesday, the board voted to close the building immediately. On Tuesday, Cooper blocked any new memorial attempts.
A president is shown staring at a sign warning that his building could fall. The law tells a different story.
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