Trump Announces Two-Year Closure of Renamed Kennedy Center for Major Renovation
WASHINGTON (Bloomberg) -- In a move that has sent shockwaves through the American cultural landscape, President Donald Trump announced plans Sunday to close the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for approximately two years, beginning this July. The decision targets a full-scale renovation of the facility, which he now chairs and has unilaterally renamed the "Trump Kennedy Center."
The announcement, made via a Truth Social post, comes amid a period of significant turmoil for the once-venerated institution. Since assuming the board chairmanship and imposing the new name without congressional approval earlier in his second term, the center has faced a growing exodus of artists and declining public engagement.
"After extensive consultation, I have determined that a full, temporary closure is the only path to achieving the level of grandeur this facility deserves," Trump stated in his post. "The scheduled grand reopening will be an event unlike any other in its history." He argued that partial renovations while remaining open would compromise quality and extend timelines, claiming the closure would yield a "faster and higher quality result."
The backdrop to this decision is one of profound institutional strain. Multiple prominent artists and companies have withdrawn from scheduled performances in protest. The Washington National Opera has already relocated its operations, and flagship productions have seen primary casts refuse to perform with Trump in attendance. Renowned figures like composer Philip Glass have pulled planned premieres.
For decades, the center stood as a nonpartisan beacon of American arts, opening in 1971 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Its annual Honors ceremony is a nationally televised celebration of artistic achievement. Trump's deep personal involvement and the contentious rebranding have, critics argue, politicized the institution and alienated its core community.
The planned closure raises immediate questions about the fate of the center's resident companies and hundreds of employees, as well as the long-term viability of its new identity. While the administration frames the renovation as necessary to address years of deferred maintenance, opponents view it as the culmination of a hostile takeover that has severed the center from its historical legacy and artistic mission.
Voices from the Public:
"This is a tragic but inevitable next step," said Marcus Thorne, a retired arts administrator from Arlington, VA. "The boycott by artists made its current operation unsustainable. The real tragedy began when a national monument was rebranded as a vanity project. The two-year closure might be the quietus for its soul."
"Finally! Action instead of endless talk," countered Janice Riggs, a small business owner and donor from Florida. "The place was run down and stuck in the past. President Trump isn't afraid to make bold decisions to build something better. I look forward to the world-class venue he'll deliver."
"It's cultural vandalism, plain and simple," fumed Dr. Aris Mendoza, a professor of American Studies at Georgetown University. "First, he hijacks the Kennedy name. Now he's shuttering the building to complete the erasure. This isn't a renovation; it's a conquest. He's turning a public trust into a Trump-branded mausoleum."
"My concern is practical," noted Elise Chen, a cellist with the National Symphony Orchestra. "Where do the musicians, technicians, and staff go for two years? What happens to our community and audience? The uncertainty is devastating. The artistic fallout from this era will last far longer than any renovation."
--With reporting by Tony Czuczka.
(Updates with additional context and reaction.)
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