President Donald Trump announced the Kennedy Center will undergo a major two-year renovation project that will leave the building’s steel structure “fully exposed.” He estimates the work could cost around $200 million. This will be the biggest overhaul of the cultural center since the president returned to the White House and started major cultural changes last year.
According to CNN, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he won’t tear down the venue completely, but the demolition will be intense. “I’ll be using the steel. So we’re using the structure,” he explained. He added that the steel framework would be “all checked out because it’ll be fully exposed.”
The building needs serious attention. Sources familiar with the project said the center had 10 to 15 years of deferred maintenance that needed fixing. The repair list is long and includes new HVAC systems, bathroom renovations, and orchestra pit upgrades. A document presented to Congress also outlined plans for seating replacement, exterior marble and roofing replacements, and important security and safety improvements.
The full closure makes more sense than years of partial shutdowns
The total closure is a big commitment, but Trump made it clear he won’t accept a slow, piecemeal approach. Previously, there was a “pardon-the-dust initiative” that would have partially shut down theaters for five years of rolling renovations. Unions, performers, and officials strongly pushed back on this idea, worried about acoustic issues, patron disruption, and the danger of a constant construction site.
Trump voiced his frustration with that slow approach. He said you couldn’t effectively do any work because people were constantly coming and going. He shared a story about a marble worker who told him, “You know, every time I put down a piece of marble, people are stepping on the marble. They don’t even have time to dry.”
Trump added, “I was thinking maybe there’s a way of doing it simultaneously, but there really isn’t.” A full two-year closure makes more sense if you want the work done right and done fast. The maintenance is necessary, but the decision to close also comes during significant internal problems and financial challenges.
The center has been struggling to maintain its programming schedule, especially since Trump oversaw a major cultural transformation last year. After installing his loyalists onto the board, they elected him chair and voted in December to rename the venue the “Trump Kennedy Center,” a move currently being challenged in court. Critics have questioned whether the renovation announcement serves another purpose.
These political changes have affected the artistic side. Prominent artists have canceled appearances, leading to dropping ticket sales and fewer performances. A source familiar with the programming said the “artist boycott across all genres was becoming untenable,” making it “quite impossible for them to produce a series of any significance” for the 2026-2027 season.
The renovation announcement, posted on Trump’s Truth Social account, surprised many people, including some board members, musicians, and staffers. Given the dramatic language about exposed steel, some in Washington worry about another “East Wing situation,” fearing residents will wake up one day to demolition far beyond what was planned.
However, an administration official and another source close to the center dismissed Trump’s Monday comments as typical exaggeration, insisting there are no plans to tear down any buildings. Artists and cultural experts have expressed concerns about what the center will become after the renovations are complete.
Published: Feb 3, 2026 12:45 pm