US EditionTrump Says Kennedy Center Will Close for Two Years for Renovations
- On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced he will close the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts for two years beginning July 4, 2026, saying financing is completed and fully in place.
- Framing the work as urgent, Trump argued a full shutdown would enable faster, higher-quality renovations, with the Kennedy Center board of trustees voting to include his name.
- Several leading artists canceled scheduled appearances, including composer Philip Glass, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Issa Rae, and the Kennedy Center's head of artistic programming abruptly left last week.
- Facing legal challenge and protests, Rep. Joyce Beatty sued in December, saying Trump acted with 'total disregard for Congress,' while Kennedy family members including Maria Shriver and Kerry Kennedy publicly condemned the renaming and closure.
- Because the Kennedy Center is congressionally funded, Congress should have been consulted before a two-year shutdown, and earlier this month, the Washington National Opera announced it will move performances away.
426 Articles
426 Articles
‘Crisis’: The fallout from Trump’s surprise plan to close Kennedy Center
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s surprise Sunday announcement that he planned to close the Kennedy Center for two years sent shock waves through the center, Washington and the broader arts world.
Daily Record
Trump says he won't tear down the Kennedy Center arts venue but it needs to be closed for repairs
President Donald Trump says he won't tear down the Kennedy Center. Asked about his Sunday announcement that he wants to close the center for two years, Trump said Monday that the building needs repairs and the work can't be done…
Here’s What We Know About the Trump Kennedy Center Renovations Closure.
PULSE POINTSWHAT HAPPENED: The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts will close for two years for major renovations starting July 4, 2026.WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump and Trump Kennedy Center Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravi.WHEN & WHERE: Announced for July 4th, 2026, at the Trump Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.KEY QUOTE: “This important decision, based on input from many Highly…
District Links: DC continues to clear ‘snowcrete’ amid post-storm criticism; Kennedy Center will close 2 years for renovations, Trump says; and more
Amid continued criticism of the DC government’s handling of ice and snow over the past week, Mayor Muriel Bowser and her administration offered an update this morning that envisions curb-to-curb clearance on top-tier arterial roadways by Wednesday.
Trump to close Kennedy Center after takeover. Here’s everything we know
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., will close in July for two years, Donald Trump announced Sunday, saying the center needs renovations. But its reputation is what seems to need renovation, given that major acts have canceled and ticket sales have tanked since Trump took over the once-esteemed venue. Open since 1971, it had already undergone a renovation and expansion in 2019. Here’s what’s happened to the ce…
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