The Washington National Opera has filed a lawsuit demanding more than $17 million from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, claiming the center is blocking access to endowment funds and donations. The dispute arose after the opera severed its relationship with the Kennedy Center in January, following the Trump administration's takeover of the institution.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, details how the opera's financial operations were managed by the center for 15 years. According to court documents, Kennedy Center officials allegedly used opera funds as collateral for a line of credit, a claim the opera disputes. The relationship deteriorated after President Trump appointed his allies to lead the Kennedy Center, including Chairman Richard Grenell.

The suit claims the Kennedy Center refused repeated requests for financial transparency and access to accounts. Opera leaders lost visibility into their finances months before departing, according to the lawsuit. The company argues the funds belong to them, while the center maintains they were properly managed under federal oversight.

The legal battle comes as the Kennedy Center faces separate litigation over Trump's attempt to close the institution for renovations. A federal judge blocked that plan and ordered the president's name removed from the building. The opera's lawsuit seeks to preserve what it calls critical funding for its upcoming season featuring productions like "Madama Butterfly."