""There's certainly no explicit authority to for either President Trump or his board to demo the Kennedy Center," Super says. "But it's also very clear there's no implicit authority." The statute that established the Kennedy Center as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy back in 1964 features detailed specifications for how future construction projects may be pursued: The board of trustees may only make expansions or general improvements in accordance with an official site master plan."
"Trump says financing for this project is "fully in place," and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act did set aside $257 million for "capital repair, restoration, maintenance backlog, and security structures" at the Kennedy Center. But that list of approved uses does not include demolition. "[That money] is only for maintenance and renovations and things of that nature," Super says."
Plans to close the Kennedy Center for a two-year renovation are presently vague, and the White House says there is no intent to demolish the building. The Kennedy Center was established by statute in 1964 as a living memorial, and the law and board authority limit work to expansions or general improvements consistent with an official site master plan. The statute contains no authorization for demolition, and no implicit presidential or board power to demolish exists. Using appropriated federal funds for demolition would violate the Antideficiency Act because the allocated $257 million covers repairs, restoration, maintenance backlog, and security, not demolition.
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