Washington DC - The Kennedy Center recently praised President Donald Trump's efforts to renovate the venue after a portion of the building suffered concerning damage.
In an Instagram post shared on Saturday, a Kennedy Center account shared photos showing dust and debris on the floor after a section of the Grand Foyer ceiling collapsed as thunderstorms hit the area.
The center said that while it was fortunate no one was hurt, it pointed to "decades of deferred maintenance" as the culprit.
"Chairman President Trump has been right: America's cultural center needs to close, renovate, and be restored – now," the center added.
According to The Hill, a spokesperson for the board similarly argued the incident proved the need for renovations, and that it "stems from decades of neglect and deferred maintenance by the previous leadership."
Earlier this year, President Trump wiped out the center's board and appointed a handful of loyalists to fill it. He has since pushed for sweeping changes to the venue, while attempting to evade the required Congressional approval.
The Trump-appointed board approved plans to close the venue for two years for renovations, but the plan was challenged in federal court by a former member of the board who seeks to block plans to attach Trump's name to a renaming of the building.
The foyer – which is a massive hallway connecting the Opera House, Concert Hall and Eisenhower Theater – will remain restricted to visitors and nonessential personnel through the week.