Trump eyes Kennedy Center demolition poster on Air Force One
New photographs appear to show President Donald Trump examining a poster about the demolition of the Kennedy Center aboard Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews. The images come after Trump suggested the building could be torn down if repairs do not move forward.
The photos were taken through the windows of Air Force One as Trump returned from a visit to Gastonia, North Carolina. They show a large printout with the words “Kennedy Center” and a partially visible word that appears to be “demolished.”
Trump had campaigned in North Carolina for Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley.
“It’ll end up being ripped down. It’s in very, very bad shape, very dangerous shape,” Trump said Wednesday.
The Trump-aligned board voted to close the center last week after a federal judge ruled that Trump’s name was added to the building illegally and could not be included unless authorized by Congress. The president’s name was removed from the building following that order.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, requested an emergency hearing to block what she called the unlawful closure of the center.
In a court filing, a legal member of the team wrote that she had seen a forklift run into pillars of the building several times.
“Given the unexplained and unlawful closure, it is possible Defendants intend to undertake immediate steps in order to make public access practically impossible for the foreseeable future, including by demolishing public avenues of access to the building, and thereby evade the court’s order,” the filing said.
Trump threatened on Tuesday to keep the Kennedy Center closed for good after the judge’s ruling.
Trump’s second term has been marked by construction projects, including those done without oversight or public review. The administration demolished the East Wing of the White House and began construction on a ballroom, projects that have faced legal challenges. Trump also bypassed usual approval processes to begin construction on a helipad at the White House.
The president has also embarked on controversial work on the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall, has plans to build a triumphal arch and is considering a golf course renovation in the nation’s capital.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
