The White House is asserting executive privilege to prevent disclosure of certain communications involving President Trump in an ongoing legal dispute over the future of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Representative Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and ex officio board member, is suing to challenge the board's decision to close the venue for renovations and to add Trump's name to the building. Her legal team is seeking documents and testimony related to Trump's role in those decisions.
In a court filing on Wednesday, Joshua Hoyt, deputy counsel to the president, invoked executive privilege over any information, documents, or communications exchanged between Trump, his advisers, and Kennedy Center staff concerning the management and operation of the institution, as well as certain deposition testimony.
Hoyt argued that the communications were intended to be confidential and have remained so, and that they pertain to the president's duties and the effective functioning of the Kennedy Center.
Beatty's lawyers have called the privilege claim unprecedented, noting that Trump is being sued in his capacity as chair of the board, not as president. In an October 5 motion, they wrote that Trump's decisions and directions are central to the board's actions, which are the subject of the case. They argued that allowing the privilege claim would obstruct the search for truth, frustrate the court's discovery order, and undermine public confidence in the proceedings.
The Department of Justice has dismissed Beatty's request as a fishing expedition.
Trump appointed himself chairman of the Kennedy Center last year after dismissing several board members and installing loyalists. The board voted in November to add Trump's name to the facade, but U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper reversed that decision in the spring, ordering the name removed and blocking subsequent attempts to re-add it.
The Kennedy Center is currently closed for renovations, with officials citing serious disrepair and safety concerns. The administration has floated the possibility of demolishing the building if a longer closure is blocked. Last month, Trump was photographed on Air Force One looking at a poster board that appeared to read “Kennedy Center DEMOLISH.”
The Justice Department has described Trump as the center's “sole hope” for financial survival, suggesting the name addition is tied to fundraising efforts. The case continues to unfold as the administration faces scrutiny over its handling of the institution. For more on the administration's broader legal battles, see our coverage of Trump's threats to investigate political opponents. The dispute also echoes tensions seen in other areas, such as Senate Democrats' efforts to block Trump's Saudi nuclear deal.
