In the ongoing battle over a renovation of the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the administration of US president Donald Trump has said it may have to demolish the Edward Durrell Stone-designed building and replace it with an amphitheatre.
This week, a Justice Department attorney filed a civil action stating the administration may seek to demolish the John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, if renovations proposed earlier this year remain blocked by the courts.
The document cites the centre's lack of financial revenue and its decaying structure as the reason for renovation, stating the institution has lost "tens of millions of dollars each and every year" and that it is in a "financial and structural death spiral".
It proposed an outdoor amphitheatre in its place if the efforts to renovate and rename the building are blocked.
"Without those efforts, the Center will deteriorate further into an unsafe, decrepit structure that will be required to be taken down, with a determination to follow on what to build on the site, such as a large outdoor amphitheatre overlooking the Potomac River that has been proposed, by some, for many years," said the court filing.
"The Board recognises that President Trump's efforts and prestige provide the sole hope for the Center's financial survival, and structural renewal," the document continued.
"The Board also underscores, and the undisputed evidence demonstrates, that without the prominent recognition of The Trump Administration, and President Trump's efforts, the donors will not contribute, and the Center will continue to be in a financial and structural death spiral."
The building was designed by American architect Edward Durell Stone in the 19710s and serves as a major cultural institution in the city. It was established and named through a governmental statute.
It has been an object of debate since Trump replaced board members with his own selections in 2025 and had his name applied to the exterior.
Since then, his name has been applied to the building and removed by court order, and the administration has released renderings of its desired updates to the centre, which would require years of closures. These plans were blocked by the courts earlier this year.
This week, a judge will rule whether or not Trump can inscribe "Restored and Renovated by President Donald J Trump" on the building underneath the Kennedy Center wordmark.
Earlier this year, a slew of donors and high-profile artists pulled out of supporting the centre and in the midst of its legal battles, visitors have significantly dwindled, according to The New York Times.
A coalition of architecture organisations, including the AIA and Docomomo US, also sued the administration over the proposed renovations earlier this year.
It is part of several building projects and proposals Trump has pursued for Washington DC, such as relining the Reflecting Pool in a bright blue and the "Arc de Trump".
The photo is by Matti Blume