John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will close in July for an estimated two years to undergo extensive renovations, President Donald Trump announced Sunday, a decision that comes as the nation’s premier performing arts institution faces mounting financial and cultural turmoil.
Trump said the closure, planned to begin July 4, would allow work to be completed more quickly and at a higher quality than if the center remained partially open. In a post on social media, he described the complex as “tired, broken, and dilapidated,” arguing that a full shutdown would transform it into a “world class bastion of arts, music, and entertainment.” The move is pending approval by the Kennedy Center’s board, which elected Trump as its chair last year.
The president said financing for the renovation is “fully in place,” but did not provide cost estimates or details on how the project would be funded. CNN reported it has reached out to both the Kennedy Center and the White House for clarification.
The announcement follows months of upheaval at the institution, particularly after Trump’s handpicked board added his name to the building in December. That decision prompted a wave of artist withdrawals and resignations, contributing to what sources described as a growing boycott that made programming increasingly difficult.
Several members of the Kennedy family criticized the closure. Joe Kennedy III, a grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, wrote on X that President John F. Kennedy would have believed a nation’s greatness is defined not by its buildings but by the actions of its people and leaders. Maria Shriver, President Kennedy’s niece, posted a satirical interpretation of Trump’s announcement, suggesting the renovation was driven by entertainers canceling appearances following the rebranding.
Sources familiar with the situation said staff at the Kennedy Center learned of the two-year closure through the president’s social media post. Internally, there had already been discussions about a temporary shutdown at the end of the fiscal year, both for renovations and to stem financial losses tied to canceled performances.
High-profile artists, including Issa Rae, Renée Fleming, Shonda Rhimes, and Ben Folds, resigned from leadership roles or withdrew from events after Trump’s board elected him chair in February. Jeffrey Seller, producer of the musical “Hamilton,” canceled the show’s planned run, while composer Philip Glass pulled the world premiere of his Abraham Lincoln symphony.
The Kennedy Center, which opened in 1971 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, typically hosts more than 2,000 performances each year.
Source: CNN