President Donald Trump said Sunday on Truth Social that the Trump Kennedy Center will shut down on July 4, 2026, for what he described as roughly two years of construction and renovation.
Trump said the closure would allow a “complete rebuilding” aimed at turning the venue into “the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World.” The move follows his controversial 2025 decision to rename the institution, which was originally built as a memorial to former President John F. Kennedy.
Why It Matters
The center functions as a major cultural hub in the nation’s capital and a living memorial to Kennedy, staging thousands of performances each year and drawing millions of visitors.
A closure of about two years would reshape Washington’s arts calendar, disrupting artists, employees, and audiences who rely on the venue.
The project also deepens the political fight surrounding the site’s identity. The building was established after Kennedy’s 1963 assassination, and Trump’s renaming and renovation plans would further tie his imprint to the institution—an outcome that critics argue clashes with the memorial’s original purpose.
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Prize-winning composer Philip Glass recently withdrew the world premiere of a new symphony from the Trump Kennedy Center, becoming the latest prominent artist to cancel a scheduled appearance amid controversy over the center’s direction under Trump.
What To Know
In his Truth Social post, Trump said keeping the venue open during construction would lead to lower-quality work and a longer timeline because crews would be forced to stop and start around scheduled performances. A full shutdown, he argued, would allow uninterrupted work and deliver “a much faster and higher quality result.”
Trump said the decision follows a yearlong review that included contractors, musical experts, art institutions, and consultants weighing whether renovations could proceed while the center remained operational. He added that the plan is “totally subject to Board approval,” and said financing is “completed, and fully in place.”
He portrayed the current facility as “tired, broken, and dilapidated,” arguing it has suffered for years “both financially and structurally.” The renovation, he said, would create a “World Class Bastion of Arts, Music, and Entertainment,” along with a “spectacular Entertainment Complex,” with a reopening targeted for mid-2028.
After taking office, Trump removed the existing board members and installed allies who elected him chairman. He then secured about $257 million in funding for the renovation. Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and second lady Usha Vance were among those on the board and voted for the renaming. Ohio Representative Joyce Beatty, who also sits on the board, said she was muted during the call and was not allowed to speak.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump: “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.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt (December): “Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation. Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future!”
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.): “Renaming the Kennedy Center for Trump would be a sacrilege. JFK was a martyred, historic US president whose name is synonymous with artistic excellence in America. The idea that Trump would put his name BEFORE Kennedy’s—or even alongside it—is obscene.”
Joe Kennedy III: “The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law. It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial, no matter what anyone says.”
Maria Shriver: “It is beyond comprehension that this sitting president has sought to rename this great memorial dedicated to President Kennedy. It is beyond wild that he would think adding his name in front of President Kennedy’s name is acceptable. It is not.”
Erika Donalds: “POTUS revived the Kennedy Center, rescuing it from financial ruin, physical decline, and reputational damage caused by years of Democrat mismanagement and liberal control. Renaming it the Trump-Kennedy Center is a well-deserved honor, one of many still to come!”
What Happens Next
The closure plan must be approved by the Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees before it can be implemented.
