Trump Points to Biden-Era Reports Exposing Kennedy Center Safety Hazards
Trump shares inspection findings of lead paint, weak terror protection and failing systems at the Kennedy Center as he pushes a two-year, quarter-billion-dollar repair plan facing a court order.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald J. Trump pointed to Biden-era inspection reports that he said exposed disrepair and safety hazards at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the national performing arts center in Washington, D.C.
The reports, dated 2021 and 2022, described outdated fire safety systems, poor protection against terrorist attacks, water leaks in a transformer room, rusted wiring that violates code and extensive wall and roof cracks, according to justthenews. The reviews also flagged lead-painted steel beams, insufficient bathroom ventilation and failing sealants containing a cancer-linked chemical, according to justthenews.
Here is the full post on truthsocial: “Biden-era inspection reports expose Kennedy Center disrepair, safety hazards that Trump seeks to fix: https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/all-things-trump/biden-era-inspections-exposed-kennedy-center-disrepair-safety” on September 21, 2026 at 12:58 AM ET.
This is Trump’s second message released today, and the last post came moments earlier, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 64 of his 546 posts over the last 30 days classified as Domestic Policy posts.
Trump shared the report by mentioning the source (see justthenews). The 2022 report noted that existing caulk and sealants contained polychlorinated biphenyl and that the existing steel structure carried a lead paint coating, according to justthenews. A 2021 presentation added that many bathrooms lack proper ventilation, according to justthenews.
47th President Donald J. Trump highlights Biden-era inspection reports exposing safety hazards at the John F.
Daniel Torok / The White House
© copyright Flickr with permission
Trump has moved to close the Kennedy Center for two years to conduct a quarter-billion dollars in repairs and renovations, according to justthenews. Vice President for Communications Roma Daravi said the Biden administration ignored the older warnings and focused on building new structures rather than repairing the main performing arts center, according to justthenews. “They did not want to do the work that was necessary,” Daravi said, adding that officials instead used $250 million to build a separate complex next to the main building, according to justthenews.
The closure plan faces a legal check. US District Judge Christopher Cooper ordered the administration to give at least 30 days’ notice before any “demolition” at the Kennedy Center, according to bbc. Cooper also required a detailed report of the center’s temporary closure for emergency repairs and written notice of any change to the project’s scope, according to bbc. The board of trustees, chaired by Trump, voted for the third time since February to close the venue for two years, according to bbc.
Spending on the site remains a point of dispute. Congress appropriated $257 million last year for the renovations, according to fox17. Trump said the Kennedy Center could be “ripped down” if his administration does not receive recognition for its role in securing repairs, according to fox17. “It’s in very, very bad shape, very dangerous shape,” he told reporters in North Carolina, according to fox17.
Congress established the center as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963, according to bbc. Shortly after his 2025 inauguration, Trump fired most of the board, replaced members with allies and became its chair, according to aljazeera.
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