MISSING MESSAGES

Trump’s Desperate Bid to Bury Kennedy Center Texts Exposed

Trump’s administration is fighting to keep hundreds of messages under wraps as a legal battle over the landmark arts venue escalates.

Donald Trump’s administration is fighting to keep hundreds of messages about the Kennedy Center under wraps as a legal battle over the president’s plan to shut down the landmark arts venue intensifies.

The plan, approved by the center’s Trump-aligned board, calls for closing the performing arts venue for two years to undergo major renovations costing up to $257 million.

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Lawyers for Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat challenging the closure, are demanding a court order compelling officials to hand over all records, arguing that the communications could reveal the extent of Trump’s involvement in decisions affecting the institution.

At the heart of the dispute are 19 text messages exchanged between Kennedy Center chief executive Matt Floca and ever-present Trump aide Natalie Harp—11 of them sent on Sept. 15, 2026, the day the center’s board voted for a third time to approve the shutdown, following earlier votes in March and August.

The disputed records also include approximately 180 messages between Floca and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, whom Beatty’s lawyers describe as Trump’s “go-between.”

The administration has argued that some records are protected by executive privilege. Beatty’s attorneys reject that position, warning that withholding the communications would leave their case incomplete and accusing officials of possible “gamesmanship.”

“Without access to these materials, [Beatty] will lack a complete picture of Defendants’ actions,” the attorneys wrote in court filings.

“These communications directly bear on the issues before the Court, and the claim of privilege cannot stand.”

The fight over the texts is the latest flashpoint in a broader showdown over Trump’s efforts to reshape the Kennedy Center.

The president has claimed the building is in such disrepair that it may need to be “ripped down.”

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But Trump has also appeared to tie the building’s survival to his name remaining on it, suggesting the landmark could face demolition without proper recognition of his administration.

“For the Trump administration, for me, to get involved, and to take on long term, and to carry it, or to raise money to carry it, I think that the Trump administration should certainly have recognition,” Trump told reporters in September.

“Because frankly, if we don’t do that, it’s going to close, it will end up being ripped down.”

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The remarks came amid a legal battle over the president’s name being added to the building. In May, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the addition was illegal and ordered the name removed.

Trump has also sparked controversy by removing Blue, a major outdoor sculpture, last month and adding a gold-leaf portrait of himself.

A day after the center closed, Cooper ordered officials to give 30 days’ notice before making any major physical changes to the property.

The Daily Beast contacted the White House, the Kennedy Center, and Beatty’s representatives for comment.

The Kennedy Center remains closed following the board’s September vote.

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