Demonstrators gathered outside the building in Washington, after the president was spotted holding a placard that read: ‘Kennedy Center DEMOLIS ...’

The Kennedy Center has been in disarray since the start of Trump’s second term, when he declared himself the center’s chairman and made the board only hand-picked loyalists. But ticket sales plummeted, and artists fled from scheduled events.

A federal judge has blocked efforts to restore President Donald Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center, while the building remains closed, staff cuts deepen and leaders seek approval for a renovation shutdown lasting up to two years.