Rep. Joyce Beatty says the Trump administration is withholding financial records and communications involving alleged threats to close or demolish the Kennedy Center.
Beatty’s lawyers accused Justice Department attorneys of withholding “core financial documents” and information amid President Donald Trump’s alleged threats against the venue, Forbes reported on Sunday.
Her legal team said the government has not produced financial records it previously agreed to provide, including documents covering fiscal years 2025 and 2026. The lawyers alleged officials indicated that no additional financial records would be released.
The filing also challenged the administration’s refusal to provide information about two alleged threats by Trump, who serves as the Kennedy Center’s chairman, to close or demolish the performing arts complex.
Beatty’s lawyers called the executive privilege claim “plainly inappropriate,” arguing that presidential communications are not automatically protected. They asked the court to extend discovery so Beatty can pursue information they say she is entitled to obtain.
A previous court order gave the government until Tuesday to respond. Under a scheduling order issued last month, discovery is scheduled to close on Oct. 9.
The DOJ did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
Kennedy Center Faces Continued Scrutiny
The records dispute follows a Sept. 17 order from U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, which requires the Kennedy Center to provide 30 days’ notice before making any major physical changes, including demolition of the main building. This comes after Trump said the Kennedy Center could be “ripped down“. The notice requirement places potential construction changes under continued court scrutiny.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are considering attaching a bipartisan measure blocking Trump from demolishing the Kennedy Center to must-pass legislation later this year, after Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) blocked an attempt to advance it in the Senate. The bill would require an act of Congress to demolish a presidential memorial designated by Congress.
On Sunday, Trump said on Truth Social, “The Kennedy Center is crumbling, and a great danger to anyone who walks inside,” claiming it will “only get worse unless the Radical Left Judge, with his Trump Hating lawyer wife, allows me to do what must be done!”
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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