A coalition of eight leading cultural heritage and architectural organizations jointly represented by three law firms today filed suit in federal district court in Washington, DC seeking to require the Trump administration to comply with historic preservation laws and secure Congressional authorization before implementing the President’s plans to further alter the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

The filing follows statements by President Trump that he may take the building “down to the steel” during a two-year closure beginning July 4, 2026. Plaintiffs cite the lesson learned when the President assured the American public that the East Wing of the White House would remain untouched during construction of his ballroom—and then approved its complete demolition.

The plaintiffs include: the American Institute of Architects; the American Society of Landscape Architects; the Committee of 100 on the Federal City; the DC Preservation League; Docomomo US; the National Trust for Historic Preservation; the Society of Architectural Historians; and The Cultural Landscape Foundation. Collectively, the organizations have more than one million members and supporters.

Completed in 1971, the Kennedy Center is among the most prominent cultural institutions in the United States and an iconic architectural treasure. The building and grounds have been determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, which triggers processes and protections under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Because the Kennedy Center serves both as the nation’s living memorial to President Kennedy and as the United States’ principal national performing arts center, changes to the building and grounds carry cultural and symbolic significance far beyond the nation’s capital.

The lawsuit, and a request for a preliminary injunction that plaintiffs expect to file soon, will ask the court to halt any demolition or substantial alteration until the government completes required public review and consultation processes.

The complaint makes clear that plaintiffs do not challenge routine repairs and maintenance, for which Congress recently appropriated $257 million. Rather, plaintiffs seek to prevent irreversible harm to defining architectural and historic features without the process and authority required by law.

No plaintiff can remember an instance in which so many national and regional organizations have coalesced to defend a single historic building and its grounds, reflecting both the Kennedy Center’s significance and the breadth of concern that the administration’s approach could weaken longstanding federal protections for historic sites nationwide.

The case also brings together for the first time three law firms whose clients have challenged several other high-profile efforts by the administration to alter historic federal properties without following legally required review processes.

In November, Cultural Heritage Partners filed suit to prevent the administration from painting the historic granite façade of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building without public consultation. In December, Foley Hoag challenged plans to construct a large ballroom following demolition of the White House East Wing. In February, Lowell & Associates sued seeking to enjoin the planned redevelopment of the historic East Potomac Golf Course and the dumping of East Wing demolition debris on the site.

Quotes

Rebecca Miller, Executive Director, DC Preservation League:
 “The Kennedy Center is not a personal project of any president. It is a national cultural monument built to honor John F. Kennedy and to serve the American people. Federal law requires transparency, expert review, and public participation before it can be fundamentally altered.”

Carol Quillen, President and CEO, National Trust for Historic Preservation:
 “The Kennedy Center is a historically significant architectural icon and a performance venue beloved by millions of Americans. We’re concerned that, as with the White House East Wing, the potential scope of planned changes is understated and will result in irreparable loss. We respectfully urge the Administration to follow all required consultative processes. Doing so will improve the design and enable transparency and public engagement—values befitting a government by the people.” 

Greg Werkheiser, Founding Partner, Cultural Heritage Partners:
 “The administration is advancing sweeping changes to some of the nation’s most important civic landmarks without transparency or public process. When decisions about America’s heritage are made behind closed doors, the rule of law is the only safeguard.”

Abbe David Lowell, Founding Member, Lowell & Associates:

“This case is not about politics or aesthetics. It is about whether the President can impose major changes to historic buildings while denying the public voice that federal law requires.”

Tad Heuer, Partner, and Greg Craig, Senior Counsel, Foley Hoag:

“We are proud to represent this coalition of cultural heritage and architectural organizations to ensure that the processes in place are followed before irreparable changes are made to an iconic building intended to be a lasting and living memorial to John F. Kennedy.”

Illya Azaroff, FAIA, President, American Institute of Architects:

“Architects have the core responsibility of protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public and that includes our nation’s civic and cultural landmarks. The Kennedy Center is a public asset that must be shaped through transparency, expertise, and the communities it serves.”

Charles A. Birnbaum, Founding President & CEO, The Cultural Landscape Foundation:

“The Kennedy Center campus is a nationally significant example of Modernist design. From its processional arrival experience to its terraces, which afford sweeping views of the Potomac River and civic monuments, landscape architecture is integral to this important cultural  monument.”

Liz Waytkus, Executive Director, Docomomo US

“It is unconscionable that the administration has already begun actions to degrade and irreparably harm the Kennedy Center. Designed by Edward Durell Stone, the building is a masterwork of Modern architecture and one of the most significant Modern buildings in the Washington, D.C., area. Significant alterations to the Kennedy Center would not only compromise an architectural landmark but would undermine a place deeply tied to the nation’s cultural values and to the legacy of leadership that President Kennedy represented.”

Ben Thomas, Executive Director, Society of Architectural Historians:

“SAH, a network of institutions and individuals that focus on the history of the built environment and its impact on society, joins the other seven plaintiffs to urge the administration to submit any proposals to alter the Kennedy Center for proper review and deliberation. Decisions that affect our communal cultural heritage should not be made lightly and should follow established guidelines and procedures.”

Brad McCauley, President, American Society of Landscape Architects

“The Kennedy Center and its grounds are part of our shared public realm. Federal law requires careful, informed reviews to guide decisions about its future, accounting for preservation law, public input, cultural understanding, and long-term stewardship. Following proper process to honor the Kennedy Center’s role as a national civic landmark matters.”

Judy Chesser, Chair, Committee of 100 for the Federal City

“The Kennedy Center is a national treasure. Its construction set new standards, from accessibility to acoustics. Without public input and congressional approval as required by law, the Administration’s statements that its intentions are only to ‘enhance’ the Center are not reassuring but are cause for alarm.”