Trump Cornered on Diva Demand to Rename Kennedy Center

Kevin Lamarque / REUTERS President Donald Trump melted down at the Kennedy Center with new threats after being quizzed on his demands to put his name on the iconic building.

Speaking to reporters ahead of a rally in North Carolina on Wednesday, Trump, 80, even suggested that the Washington, D.C. memorial for John F.

Kennedy may be “ripped down” if his stipulations weren’t met.

Trump was questioned about the fate of the Kennedy Center after the board voted Tuesday to close the building against a court order.

Trump has claimed that renovations are badly needed, and insisted that having his last name on the exterior—which a federal judge prohibited—will help fundraise for the fixes given his “unrivaled expertise and experience in real estate and construction, and prominence as President.” On the tarmac in Charlotte, Trump took questions from reporters, initially about the economy and his trade war with Canada, until one member of the press mentioned the Kennedy Center.

“Mr.

President, why is it so important that you have your name on the Kennedy Center memorial for JFK?” the reporter asked.

“Well, it’s a very easy question to answer because it’s a mess,” he replied.

“The Kennedy Center for many years has lost tens of millions of dollars, even hundreds of millions of dollars.

It’s a big loser, financially.

And many other places like that, like Carnegie Hall and various places throughout the country, they lose a lot of money.” “They were losing, the Kennedy Center—sometimes hundreds of millions, before I got involved,” he went on.

“So for the Trump administration, for me, to... take that long-term and to carry it or to raise money to carry it, I think the Trump administration should certainly have recognition.

Because frankly, if we don’t do that it’s going to close.

It’ll end up being ripped down.