The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will shut its doors for two years beginning July 4 to undergo an extensive reconstruction, President Donald Trump announced Sunday evening.
Trump said the closure is necessary to allow for large-scale construction work on a facility he described as long overdue for modernization. The president referred to the building as “tired, broken, and dilapidated,” arguing that only a full shutdown would allow renovations to be completed efficiently.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “I have determined that The Trump Kennedy Center, if temporarily closed for Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding, can be, without question, the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World.”
He added, “In other words, if we don’t close, the quality of Construction will not be nearly as good, and the time to completion, because of interruptions with Audiences from the many Events using the Facility, will be much longer.”
Trump also claimed that “Financing is completed, and fully in place,” though he did not provide details on the funding sources or total project cost. The president said the two-year timeline was chosen “in honor of the 250th Anniversary of our Country.”
The decision follows weeks of controversy at the nation’s premier performing arts venue. After Trump moved to dismiss much of the Kennedy Center’s board and replace members with political allies, a number of artists canceled scheduled performances.
Grammy-winning musician Béla Fleck was among those who stepped away, explaining, “Performing there has become charged and political, at an institution where the focus should be on the music.”
He added, “I look forward to playing with the [National Symphony Orchestra] another time in the future when we can together share and celebrate art.”
Reports have also pointed to financial strain. The Washington Post noted last fall that nearly half of the Kennedy Center’s seasonal tickets remained unsold, a sharp decline attributed to the political upheaval surrounding the institution.
Despite the backlash, Trump framed the closure as an opportunity to transform the center into a world-class cultural destination.
He wrote, “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, far better than it has ever been before.”
The Kennedy Center has long served as a national stage for theater, music, and dance, hosting presidents, global leaders, and generations of artists. A two-year shutdown would mark one of the most disruptive periods in its history, forcing resident companies and touring productions to seek alternate venues across the Washington region.
No detailed construction timeline has been released, and it remains unclear where major performances such as the Kennedy Center Honors will be held during the closure. Local arts organizations are already discussing temporary partnerships with universities and private theaters to fill the gap.
Supporters of the plan argue that decades of deferred maintenance justify the disruption, while critics fear the move further politicizes a historically nonpartisan cultural institution.
For now, the iconic complex overlooking the Potomac River is preparing for its longest pause since opening in 1971—a pause Trump says will lead to a dramatic rebirth.
Originally reported by Amelia Benavides-Colón in Notus.
.png)
