Trump says Kennedy Center building collapses could have killed ‘innocent people’

President Donald Trump claimed the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is in a “virtual state of collapse” and poses a danger to people after a judge ruled again Trump could not rename the building after himself.“A large piece of concrete and steel just dropped down, in a thud, from the ceiling of a heavily trafficked main hallway,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday ahead of a meeting with the center’s board of trustees. “If the Building were open, innocent people would have been killed. A security guard had just passed the area, one minute prior to this ceiling collapse. He was, therefore, 60 seconds away from certain death.”Trump also complained that U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who again on Tuesday ruled that the Kennedy Center could not bear the president’s name, had earlier ruled it could not be shut down for two years for a $285 million renovation. “The Judge has made us keep it open even though there are no performances, and no people that would have the Courage to even go in,” he wrote. “The Board of The Kennedy Center has strongly voted to save it, and they know I’m the only one who can do so, because I have the ability to raise the money, and the ability to construct — that few others have. I also have the strength and power of the Presidency, which will be needed do what must be done, and give it a strong shot at Greatness again!”At the same time, Trump distanced himself from the Kennedy Center’s financial troubles, contending it “was losing Hundreds of Millions of Dollars when I took over.”“It was failing badly!” he wrote. “It had nothing to do with me, I am only there to help. I just got there to reveal the facts, but especially those concerning Building Safety. A very hostile and conflicted Judge (What else is new?) seems like he won’t let that happen, in which case, unfortunately, the Building is destined to doom. Isn’t that too bad? We have already wasted more than 6 months ‘playing around’ in Court. Time is our Enemy! The Board, comprised of some of the most prominent and respected people in our Nation, is meeting again today. It will be interesting to see what happens!”The Kennedy Center’s board of trustees is due to meet on Tuesday to consider a resolution proposing 10 options for honoring Trump, as the center’s “dire financial position” means it may not be able to afford payroll and maintenance “within a matter of weeks,” according to the resolution.JUDGE BARS KENNEDY CENTER BOARD FROM PUTTING TRUMP’S NAME ON BUILDING AT ALL“The Board understands that without such appropriate recognition it is unlikely that President Trump will provide the fundamental oversight of the renovation of the main building and lead the fiscal rescue of the Center,” the resolution says.Congress has appropriated $257 million for the Kennedy Center, but the board has argued that Trump could raise another $100 million for renovations.