President Donald Trump announced plans to close Washington’s Kennedy Center performing arts center for two years starting in July for construction, marking his latest move to reshape the iconic venue since returning to the White House.
A Cultural Center in Flux
The Kennedy Center faces a potential two-year closure as Trump pursues renovations, following a wave of performer cancellations.
- Trump intends to close the Kennedy Center on July 4th for a two-year construction project.
- The announcement follows recent cancellations by artists protesting Trump’s changes to the center’s leadership and branding.
- Neither Trump nor Kennedy Center President Ric Grenell have provided evidence of significant disrepair at the venue.
- The plan requires approval from the Kennedy Center’s board, which Trump chairs and has populated with allies.
The decision, revealed on social media, comes after a series of high-profile cancellations by performers and groups since Trump ousted the previous leadership and moved to add his name to the building. Trump did not address the recent departures in his announcement.
Trump framed the proposed closure as a path to revitalization. “This important decision, based on input from many Highly Respected Experts, will take a tired, broken, and dilapidated Center, one that has been in bad condition, both financially and structurally for many years, and turn it into a World Class Bastion of Arts, Music, and Entertainment,” he wrote.
However, neither Trump nor Kennedy Center President Ric Grenell, a Trump ally, have offered evidence to support claims of disrepair. Last October, Trump had stated the center would remain open during any renovations. The planned closure, announced Sunday, is set to begin July 4th, coinciding with the start of construction.
A Venue with History
The decision to potentially shutter and reconstruct the Kennedy Center is likely to draw criticism, given the venue’s storied past. Established as a national cultural center, Congress later designated it a “living memorial” to President John F. Kennedy in 1964, following his assassination. Opened in 1971, the center has since served as a year-round public showcase for the arts, including home to the National Symphony Orchestra.
The Kennedy Center is just one of several Washington landmarks Trump has targeted for overhaul during his second term. He previously demolished the East Wing of the White House and initiated a US$400 million (NZ$663 million) ballroom project. He is also pursuing plans for a triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial and renovations to Washington Dulles International Airport.
Recent departures from the Kennedy Center include composer Philip Glass, who withdrew his Symphony No. 15 Lincoln, citing a conflict between the center’s current values and the piece’s message. The Washington National Opera also announced last month it would move performances from the venue, following Trump’s leadership changes.
The center’s head of artistic programming resigned abruptly last week, less than two weeks after being appointed to the position. A Kennedy Center spokesperson could not be reached for comment.
Trump’s plan to rename the building, placing his name prominently above that of Kennedy, sparked opposition last year from members of Congress and Kennedy family members. Kerry Kennedy, a niece of John F. Kennedy, vowed to remove Trump’s name with a pickaxe when his term ends. Maria Shriver, another family member, expressed disbelief that anyone would consider adding Trump’s name to the memorial dedicated to her uncle.
Representative Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and ex-officio trustee, filed a lawsuit in December, arguing that only Congress has the authority to rename the Kennedy Center.
