President Trump has announced a sweeping, two-year construction plan that would temporarily close the Kennedy Center beginning this summer. As highlighted by The Washington Post, the administration says the project is intended to modernize the facility and address long-standing infrastructure issues.
Trump said the center would close on July 4, 2026, aligning the shutdown with the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations. In a post on Truth Social, he argued that a full closure is necessary to ensure higher construction quality and a shorter overall timeline, citing disruptions caused by ongoing performances and audiences.
The president also said the project’s funding is already secured. Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell confirmed the plan in an email to staff, noting that Congress approved $257 million last year for capital repair, restoration, maintenance backlog, and security improvements through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The shutdown comes amid ongoing turmoil at the institution
Grenell has publicly supported the closure, writing on X that the building “desperately needs this renovation” and that shutting down operations would allow work to finish more quickly, a decision coming as debates rage over federal policy shifts like Trump’s stance that federal forces won’t assist Democrat cities unless they beg. Trump has repeatedly described the Kennedy Center as being in poor condition, citing broken elevators, pest problems, and structural deterioration in the parking garage.
The renovation announcement follows months of internal disruption at the center since Trump assumed control of the institution roughly a year ago. Numerous artists and productions have withdrawn from scheduled appearances, including composer Philip Glass, soprano Renée Fleming, and banjoist Béla Fleck. Departures that echo sharp reactions to recent news, like mockery over recruiting federal prosecutors through X DMs in political circles.
The Washington National Opera has also announced plans to leave its longtime home at the center. While leadership has said the relationship was ended by the institution, anonymous sources told The Washington Post the move followed the board’s decision to rename the venue the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, a change that sparked significant backlash.
Staffing instability has compounded concerns about the center’s future. Nearly all senior programming leaders have either resigned or been dismissed, including artistic advisers Ben Folds and Renée Fleming, as well as senior vice president of artistic programming Kevin Couch, who resigned less than two weeks after his appointment was announced.
Physical changes to the building are already evident, with the exterior columns repainted white, portraits of the first and second couples installed in the Hall of Nations, and the new name affixed to the facade. Several staff members said they were not formally notified of the closure plans, despite long-standing speculation that a shutdown was possible.
Democratic lawmakers have criticized the decision, arguing Congress should have been consulted, given the center’s federal funding. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) said the move showed “a total disregard for Congress,” calling the lack of consultation inappropriate for a federally supported institution.
The Kennedy Center has not yet clarified how the closure will affect major annual events such as the Kennedy Center Honors or the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and no alternative venues or schedules have been announced.
Published: Feb 2, 2026 05:30 am