September 19, 2026 - Washington, D.C. — On Friday, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, demanded answers from members of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees after Donald Trump threatened to “rip down” the building if he cannot put his name on it and after he was spotted looking at poster that appears to read “Kennedy Center DEMOLISH.”

“Donald Trump has spent countless hours on ridiculous vanity projects instead of trying to tackle the sky-high cost of living or ending his failed war in Iran, and now he’s threatening to tear down the Kennedy Center just because he can’t slap his name on it. It’s sad, shallow, and a disgrace to the institution which by law honors our 35th president. We will continue fighting this obsession and defend this national cultural center in Congress and the courts,” said Ranking Member Robert Garcia.

In the letter to the members of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees, Ranking Member Robert Garcia wrote, “According to recent reporting and emergency court filings, President Trump and the Trump-controlled Board of Trustees for the Kennedy Center (the Center) appear to be laying the groundwork to demolish the prized cultural institution because the President cannot put his name on it without Congressional authorization. The threat to destroy the Center following the failure of the President’s illegal attempt to rename the building appears to be a gross act of extortion directed against the American people. I request that you immediately preserve and provide to the Committee all records, documents, and communications concerning the planned closure and demolition of the Center, comply with relevant court orders, and halt any action which would harm the Center or President Kennedy’s legacy.”

In August 2026, Ranking Member Robert helped lead Members in filing a follow-up amicus brief in National Trust for Historic Preservation v. National Park Service, the Trump ballroom case. This brief is a follow up to the original amicus brief, filed in May 2026, to stop President Trump’s illegal demolition and reconstruction of the White House East Wing to build a billion-dollar ballroom for his billionaire friends and donors. In June 2026, Ranking Member Garcia demanded answers from Green Water Solutions and Atlantic Industrial Coatings regarding President Trump’s failed renovations to the reflecting pool on the National Mall, which were filled with algae and had paint chipping at the time, despite costing taxpayers $14 million.

Source: House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform-Democrats