WASHINGTON — In a scathing Truth Social post on Saturday, former President Donald Trump slammed U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper for blocking his proposed renovation of the Kennedy Center, calling the judge an “anti‑Trump hater.” Trump also warned that the performing‑arts venue would “soon be closed, probably never to open again.”
Trump’s criticism came after Judge Cooper issued a ruling on Friday that prevented the center’s board from proceeding with a two‑year transformation of the 49‑year‑old space. The president’s lengthy message framed the decision as unfair, citing Cooper’s previous rulings on Trump‑related matters and linking the judge’s wife, attorney Amy Jeffress, to the outcome.
Cooper, appointed by President Barack Obama, had ruled that the board’s March 16 vote to close the venue was “ill‑informed and seemingly preordained,” and that the board had exceeded its statutory authority by adding Trump’s name to the institution’s title. The judge ordered that the name be removed within two weeks.
Trump, who had taken control of the center’s trusteeship in January 2025, highlighted the project’s cost and the board’s failure to consult legislation. He claimed the center “was rusted, rotted, and rat‑and‑bug infested” and that a “new building would have been incomparable.”
In his post, Trump also accused Jeffress’s law firm, Hecker Fink, of representing former President Joe Biden in a lawsuit to block the release of audio recordings from Biden’s interviews with a ghostwriter. He further mentioned that Jeffress’s firm had represented E. Jean Carroll, who has alleged Trump sexually assaulted her in a New York department store decades ago.
Cooper’s decision follows opposing lawsuits: one by cultural preservation groups and another by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who serves as an ex‑officio board member. Cooper granted Beatty’s request but rejected the preservation groups’ challenge.
Trump’s post has not yet been followed by a public clarification from the White House on whether he will continue to pursue the renovation in court. The president’s remarks add another chapter to the ongoing debate over the role of the judiciary in politically sensitive projects.
[AP News article on the original judge’s decision](https://apnews.com/article/trump-kennedy-center-renovations-closure-1857159baf8db4692324acb7ef62f249)
[AP News on Trump’s broader legal frustrations](https://apnews.com/article/trump-kennedy-center-afd7c714c53d8942a4b76b2684a20755)
[Links to related news items linked in the original article]
Trump’s criticism came after Judge Cooper issued a ruling on Friday that prevented the center’s board from proceeding with a two‑year transformation of the 49‑year‑old space. The president’s lengthy message framed the decision as unfair, citing Cooper’s previous rulings on Trump‑related matters and linking the judge’s wife, attorney Amy Jeffress, to the outcome.
Cooper, appointed by President Barack Obama, had ruled that the board’s March 16 vote to close the venue was “ill‑informed and seemingly preordained,” and that the board had exceeded its statutory authority by adding Trump’s name to the institution’s title. The judge ordered that the name be removed within two weeks.
Trump, who had taken control of the center’s trusteeship in January 2025, highlighted the project’s cost and the board’s failure to consult legislation. He claimed the center “was rusted, rotted, and rat‑and‑bug infested” and that a “new building would have been incomparable.”
In his post, Trump also accused Jeffress’s law firm, Hecker Fink, of representing former President Joe Biden in a lawsuit to block the release of audio recordings from Biden’s interviews with a ghostwriter. He further mentioned that Jeffress’s firm had represented E. Jean Carroll, who has alleged Trump sexually assaulted her in a New York department store decades ago.
Cooper’s decision follows opposing lawsuits: one by cultural preservation groups and another by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who serves as an ex‑officio board member. Cooper granted Beatty’s request but rejected the preservation groups’ challenge.
Trump’s post has not yet been followed by a public clarification from the White House on whether he will continue to pursue the renovation in court. The president’s remarks add another chapter to the ongoing debate over the role of the judiciary in politically sensitive projects.
[AP News article on the original judge’s decision](https://apnews.com/article/trump-kennedy-center-renovations-closure-1857159baf8db4692324acb7ef62f249)
[AP News on Trump’s broader legal frustrations](https://apnews.com/article/trump-kennedy-center-afd7c714c53d8942a4b76b2684a20755)
[Links to related news items linked in the original article]
