Rep. Joyce Beatty demands emergency hearing after Kennedy Center closure

Published September 16, 2026 4:03pm ET | Updated September 16, 2026 4:03pm ET



Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) on Wednesday requested an emergency hearing with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts board before a federal judge to discuss the legality of the center’s immediate closure after a vote the day before.

Beatty, an ex officio member of the board, has been the driving force behind several lawsuits challenging President Donald Trump’s overhaul of the Kennedy Center, objecting to plans to add the president’s name to the facade and close the center for two years for $250 million renovations.

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