Attorneys for Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) filed a motion on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, seeking a court order to compel the Trump administration to release withheld emails and text messages concerning the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The filing claims the administration is withholding records that document the scale of President Donald Trump's influence over the center's management. The administration has withheld the materials based on claims that they contain privileged presidential communications.
The legal challenge follows a period of dispute over the center's leadership and status. Last year, board members appointed by Trump named him the center's chairman. In May 2026, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the center had illegally added Trump’s name to the building and ordered its removal. After Cooper blocked an attempt to restore the name, the board voted to close the facility for renovations, with Trump stating the building is in a dangerous condition that requires it to be "ripped down."
The Sunday court filing identifies several specific communications involving Kennedy Center executive director and CEO Matt Floca. These include 19 text messages with Trump executive assistant Natalie Harp, 11 of which were sent on Sept. 15, the day the board conducted its third vote to close the facility. The filing also cites approximately 180 text messages between Floca and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The plaintiffs' attorneys described Lutnick as a "go-between" for the president and alleged the administration is practicing "gamesmanship" by withholding the records.
The reported contact involves approximately 200 text messages between the center's CEO and administration officials. The resolution of this case will affect the status of the main building, which is currently under a court order issued on Sept. 17, 2026, requiring 30 days' notice before any major physical changes can be made to the building. This prevents immediate alteration while legal proceedings continue.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper did not immediately rule on the request to compel the records on Oct. 25. The White House has not yet commented on the specific allegations in the Sunday filing. The facility remains under a temporary closure order issued by Floca on Sept. 16, 2026.