<p>Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) stated that President Donald Trump expressed strong emotions during a board meeting regarding the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, claiming the venue remains open despite Trump's assertions to the contrary.</p>
<p>Beatty, who is an ex officio member of the board, spoke to CNN’s The Source about Trump's phone call to the Kennedy Center board meeting on Tuesday, during which he claimed the board voted to close the Washington, D.C., facility immediately.</p>
<p>“I think it would be unthinkable for someone to hear a president using the language that he used,” Beatty said. “He threw a tantrum. It was like an immature child. I wouldn’t even want to put this on a child. He was just being very, in my opinion, very immature, shouting, calling names, stating facts. He doesn’t really know anything about me, and I looked to the board and said, ‘Are we really going to do this?’ This is very unprofessional. What he is proposing is unlawful, and he just shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it.”</p>
<p>Beatty also indicated that Trump's post on Truth Social following the board meeting did not accurately represent the events that transpired.</p>
<p>“He stated that we voted to close down the Kennedy Center today,” she said. “While I did not support the vote, the others who voted did not vote for the language that he is putting up on Truth Social and saying to people.”</p>
<p>Trump claimed that the board “almost unanimously” agreed to close the Kennedy Center for safety reasons and to initiate his planned renovations. He also stated that he had raised $17 million to support the center, a claim Beatty disputed as not being mentioned during the meeting.</p>
<p>Beatty noted that Trump suggested he would hold her “personally responsible” if anyone were injured in the building, which he described as deteriorating.</p>
<p>Despite Beatty's assertion that the center will remain open, Kennedy Center representatives confirmed the board's decision to close immediately.</p>
<p>“The Board’s decision today reflects sound judgment and a clear prioritization of safety above all else. As the main building closes for urgent renovations — long overdue and desperately needed to protect the safety of patrons, artists and staff — the Center remains committed to pursuing a safe and efficient renovation through all legal means,” said Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations.</p>
<p>Additionally, on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that Trump’s name could not be placed on the facade of the building, following a lawsuit initiated by Beatty, who has consistently opposed the president’s plans for the center.</p>