Things took a sharp turn at the Kennedy Center after a recent wave of layoffs hit just as President Donald Trump’s back-and-forth with an ex officio member reached a boiling point. The timing hasn’t gone unnoticed, with many drawing a straight line between the cuts and the escalating feud, even as details continue to unfold.
Instead of cooling things down, the layoffs have only intensified the feud, with critics calling them a clear retaliation tactic by Trump. He, meanwhile, has brushed off the fallout as a personal vendetta against him—a familiar defense whenever the pressure starts to build
The latest round of layoffs at the Kennedy Center targeted top leaders, including senior programming directors Ryan Hamilton and Sam Miller, both tied to Trump ally Richard Grenell. The cuts are part of multiple waves since Trump’s 2025 takeover, with more than 100 employees—ranging from department heads to key staff—either laid off or pushed out, as the institution also prepares for a two-year shutdown starting July 7. Critics argue the cuts came as a direct result of his leadership shake-up, which included replacing board members and pushing aggressive changes to the center’s structure and future plans.
The layoffs have raised concerns about instability behind the scenes, with some pointing to them as a sign that the sweeping changes and dwindling ticket sales are already taking a toll on the organization’s operations and workforce.
Former Kennedy Center board of trustees member Rep. Joyce Beatty is one of many outraged patrons who seek to put a stop to it all.
Beatty filed a federal lawsuit requesting that his name be removed from the building on the grounds that Trump’s actions were unlawful. The Democratic Ohio congresswoman also demands that his planned two-year shutdown for renovations be blocked because there was no expert consultation about the renovations, only Trump’s say-so.
“Can the Board of the Kennedy Center — in direct contradiction of the governing statutes — rename this sacred memorial to John F. Kennedy after President Donald J. Trump? The answer is, unequivocally, ‘no,'” the lawsuit reads. “By renaming the Center — in violation of the law — Defendants have breached the terms of the trust and their most basic fiduciary obligations as trustees.”
BREAKING: Congresswoman Joyce Beatty files a massive lawsuit in federal court to BLOCK Trump from closing the Kennedy Center for his heinous renovations.
— Occupy Democrats (@OccupyDemocrats) March 6, 2026
This is the best news that we've heard all day…
“The Court should not wait until the bulldozers are at the door. It should… pic.twitter.com/G7QHvMIq9U
Trump responded to the lawsuit with a court filing on April 6, and his attorneys defended the renaming and closure of the center.
“Plaintiff has not alleged that she suffered any harm — whether ‘tangible,’ like a ‘physical’ or ‘monetary’ harm, or ‘intangible,’ like a reputational harm — stemming from the Board’s decisions to adopt a secondary name and to close for renovation,” states the document.
“The Center is closing for renovation because a concentrated two-year project — rather than a ‘multi-year series of patchwork repairs’ — will enable the Board to fully execute required mechanical overhauls and to conduct invasive structural repairs in as short and cost-effective a timeframe as possible.”
Beatty responded to the filing by saying her legal team would respond in court, and she also made a dig at the twice-impeached president.
“Consider just one damning fact,” she said. “Donald Trump and his handpicked friends on the Board are now exposed for not doing their due diligence considering the now tragic consequences for the unlawful renaming of this treasured institution. Congress never authorized this vanity project which is defacing a sacred memorial to a fallen President, and I look forward to our day in court.”
Beatty appeared on Jake Tapper’s show “The Lead” on CNN in March, and she explained why she brought the lawsuit.
“I’m not against any renovations making it safe,” she said. “But I’m against any and everything that is unlawful. They did not bring it before the United States Congress just as when Donald Trump put his name across the Kennedy Center. He did not get approval from the Congress to do that. And it’s stated in the statute that he had to bring it before Congress.”
Trump’s handpicked Kennedy Center board approved a two-year closure for renovations – but ex-officio members of the board were not allowed to vote. One of those members, Rep. Joyce Beatty, tells @jaketapper she still stated her opposition during the meeting. pic.twitter.com/3gEsEQANxY
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) March 16, 2026
Users on social media reacted to Trump’s obsession with the Kennedy Center by dragging him for his hubris.
“He puts his name on something then it’s garbage,” wrote one user on Facebook. Another said, “Just unbelievable he has free rein to destroy anything he wants!!” “I hope the Kennedy’s step up and portest what they are looking to do. How dare Trump think he deserves to intrude on another man praise,” added a third person.
Several celebrities declined to perform at the Kennedy Center after Trump took over, and many users believe it’s the true reason the president wants to close the performing arts facility.
One user wrote, “Trump trying to save face. But, this will cost Americans.” Another said, “The man likes chaos. He thrives on it. He lives for it. He will cause it with every breath he takes.”
Beatty also told Tapper that she was setting an example by standing up to Trump for democracy, and she referenced his illegal war in Iran. Trump attacked the country, also without the approval from Congress, on Feb. 28. “This is a democracy,” she said. The Kennedy Center closure is currently scheduled for July 7.
