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A federal judge ruled that Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty is entitled to participate in an upcoming Kennedy Center board meeting tied to President Donald Trump’s plan to close the performing arts center for two years for renovations, while the judge did not order that she be allowed to vote at the session. The ruling comes as the board is expected to decide whether to approve the proposal during Monday’s meeting, according to court proceedings described in the case.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper concluded that Beatty—an ex officio member through her position in Congress—must receive documents about the proposed closure and renovation plans before the board vote. Cooper also said Beatty must be allowed to speak at the meeting so she can do her job as a trustee, and he said holding back information before the vote would prevent her from participating meaningfully.
Cooper, however, found that Beatty had not carried her burden to establish a right to vote at that “very early stage” of the litigation. In explaining the limits of the relief, Cooper said the “marginal harm” from not voting is “much less,” because she would be able to lodge objections on the record and have an opportunity to persuade her colleagues.
Kennedy Center spokeswoman Roma Daravi said the center would follow the court’s ruling and said it was “happy to provide information demonstrating the need for closure and renovations.” The ruling did not produce an immediate comment from Beatty, though the reporting described responses from Beatty and her legal team to the decision.
After Cooper heard arguments Thursday, Beatty told reporters she went to court to stand up for what she described as the rule of law and democracy. Outside the courthouse, she said, “I want to know where your money — our money — is going.”
Beatty’s lawyer, Nathaniel Zelinsky, argued to the court that the administration was acting outside normal practice by seeking to limit her participation. Zelinsky told the judge, “We’re not asking for something unusual,” and said, “It’s my friends on the other side you are asking you to deviate from the norm.”
Cooper pressed Justice Department lawyer William Jankowski about why the administration was not providing Beatty with details of its plans for the meeting. The judge asked, “Why not just give her the information?” and, “How is the government harmed?” Jankowski responded that the information—described as possibly a work in progress—should be provided to Beatty and other meeting participants by Monday, adding that “An action isn’t final until it’s final.”
The dispute is playing out against a backdrop of heightened Trump involvement in Kennedy Center operations since he returned to office in January 2025. Trump named loyal supporters, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and longtime aide Dan Scavino, to replace members he had not appointed, and the reconstituted board subsequently elected Trump as chairman.
The reporting also said Trump has shown more involvement than other recent presidents in operations tied to the performing arts center, including selecting artists for the 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees and hosting the program. It said Trump complained about the building’s appearance and secured $257 million from Congress for the Kennedy Center in a tax cut and spending bill signed last summer, with Richard Grenell—appointed by Trump as the center’s president—having criticized the center’s finances.
In addition, Trump announced on Friday that Grenell would step down and be replaced by Matt Floca, who manages the Kennedy Center’s facilities operations, with the change expected to be finalized at Monday’s board meeting. The reporting described how the board voted in December to add Trump’s name to the institution, and it also cited effects after Trump increased his operational role, including cancellations and reduced attendance.
In February, Trump announced on social media that he would close the Kennedy Center on July 4 for two years for renovations, subject to board approval. Monday’s meeting, and what Beatty is permitted to do within it, will test how those plans are handled by the board under the judge’s order.