President Donald Trump’s Kennedy Center showdown has taken another turn as visitors and longtime supporters demand answers. Nearly eight months after President Donald Trump plastered his name above the John F. Kennedy Center name. A judge ordered Trump’s name be removed by June 12, yet wor kers have since covered the area with a tarp, concealing the removal from public view. Donald Trump’s appointed board members at the Kennedy Center are standing by his expensive renovations, as something remains hidden behind a tarp after a judge ordered his name removed. (Photo by Alex WROBLEWSKI / AFP via Getty Images; Allison Robbert/For The Washington Post via Getty Images) A whistleblower claims Trump rushed Kennedy Center renovations to satisfy Trump’s preferences ahead of several televised events. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said the whistleblower tied the rushed work to “steel columns that are rusting through fresh paint, a reflecting pool that may have to be torn out and rebuilt, and a brand-new bathroom floor torn out over an offending tile color.” Whitehouse called the spending wasteful and said officials treated the national memorial like a “private renovation project.” “This is waste,” Whitehouse said. He blasted the project and officials for treating “a national memorial to President Kennedy as if it were a private renovation project.” The Kennedy Center has now rejected those allegations and issued a statement to address the rust rumors. A federal judge has ordered the Kennedy Center to remove Trump's name from the facade. pic.twitter.com/AJN2ptjKkq— FactPost (@factpostnews) May 29, 2026 In a statement provided to Fox Digital, they disputed claims that Trump ordered a bathroom floor replaced over its color and that an $8 million flooring contract was improperly awarded. The center’s Trump-appointed board also denied that renovations began before congressional approval. According to Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations, “The Center has taken measures to responsibly and transparently stabilize the facility while preparing for the comprehensive infrastructure renewal that decades of deferred maintenance have made unavoidable, a project now made possible by our Chairman’s [President Trump’s] vision, which has institutional support and new funding secured.” @SenWhitehouse @SheldonforRI @SenateDems @dscc So, what's happening with the Kennedy Center a month later? Construction, repairs are done w/o covering up the work. Let's embarrass the convicted felon even more!https://t.co/sLadfnP3S2— DeMars_Hobbs (@DemarsHobb94799) July 17, 2026 Whitehouse’s $8 million flooring claim didn’t go unanswered. Kennedy Center officials said the headline-grabbing figure isn’t what it seems. They defended hiring what some consider an inexperienced contractor who could meet the venue’s demanding standards. The center also pointed to a recent federal court ruling that it says reinforces the legal authority behind its renovation work. A May 29 ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia reaffirmed its status outside the executive branch. Center officials argue that the distinction undercuts Whitehouse’s claims that it violated federal procurement rules. Yet they failed to ask the one question many have been buzzing about. “Jfc.. is this still covered up?? What a whiny soft pos he is,” said one X user. Another asked, “The tarp is still up? I thought the court ordered him to take it down? “The man who’s too embarrassed to bring the tarp down at the Kennedy Center wants you to believe that elections aren’t secure, but only the one he lost,” noted a third person. The tarp and scaffolding went up on the front portico the morning after a judge ordered Trump’s name removed on June 12. Many suspect it is intended to hide any damage or poor craftsmanship. The man who's too embarrassed to bring the tarp down at the Kennedy Center wants you to believe that elections aren't secure, but only the one he lost. pic.twitter.com/VTqOR3mBdq— MM  (@adgirlMM) July 17, 2026 “So, what’s happening with the Kennedy Center a month later?” asked one curious person. “Construction, repairs are done w/o covering up the work.” Another wrote, “Trump has been known for shoddy work and gaudy attachments for his entire life. The reflecting pool shows that, and we can expect that the White House redo will be of lower quality.” Whitehouse initially sent a request letter to the center’s executive director, Matt Floca, demanding a response by July 23. He told Fox News that the center had not responded to its latest letter or any substantive information requests dating back to November. After Fox News Digital sought comment, the Kennedy Center responded, saying it had officially sent its reply Thursday morning. ‘The Tarp Is Still Up?’: Trump’s Kennedy Center Showdown Takes Another Turn as Board Denies Whistleblower Claims, Leaving One Lingering Question ...read more read less