The Trump administration has told a federal court that if Donald Trump's name is not permanently attached to the Kennedy Center, donor funding could collapse and the "decrepit" building might ultimately have to be demolished, potentially to be replaced by an outdoor amphitheatre overlooking the Potomac River. The claim came in a court filing amid an ongoing legal dispute over whether Trump's name can be added to the Washington DC cultural venue, which was built to honour President John F Kennedy after his assassination.

An earlier bid to add "Donald J Trump" to the building's facade was blocked by the court in May after a lawsuit from Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. The Trump-aligned board of trustees then voted this month to try a different wording, such as "Renovated and Restored By President Donald J Trump" and "Endowed by the Trump Kennedy Center Fund," alongside renaming the plaza outside the centre. Beatty's lawyers have asked the court to block these attempts too, calling them a "transparent" effort to rename the venue by another route, with a hearing due on Thursday. The centre has reportedly seen falling attendance and artist cancellations since Trump increased his involvement, and the row is one of several administration efforts to reshape Washington's landmarks, including plans for a triumphal arch and a new White House ballroom complex.