President Trump announced Sunday that the Kennedy Center will shut down for two years beginning July 4, 2026, as part of what he described as a sweeping restoration and expansion plan aimed at transforming the historic arts institution into a premier entertainment complex.
“The Trump Kennedy Center will close on July 4th, 2026, in honor of the 250th Anniversary of our Country, whereupon we will simultaneously begin Construction of the new and spectacular Entertainment Complex,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. “Financing is completed, and fully in place!”
The proposed Kennedy Center closure, which Trump characterized as a one-time measure, is designed to accelerate renovations rather than conduct phased construction around scheduled performances. He argued that temporarily shuttering the venue would be the “fastest way to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur.” However, he acknowledged the plan remains “totally subject to board approval.”
The announcement comes amid broader changes at the institution following a board vote in December to rename it “The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” That same month, Trump became the first president to emcee the Kennedy Center Honors, marking a notable shift from his first term, during which he skipped the annual ceremony.
Richard Grenell, president of the Kennedy Center and a longtime Trump ally, praised the proposal in a post on X, thanking the president for his direction and Congress for funding support.
“I am also grateful to Congress for appropriating an historic $257M to finally address decades of deferred maintenance and repairs at the Trump Kennedy Center,” Grenell said.
“Our goal has always been to not only save and permanently preserve the Center, but to make it the finest Arts Institution in the world. It desperately needs this renovation and temporarily closing the Center just makes sense – it will enable us to better invest our resources, think bigger and make the historic renovations more comprehensive. It also means we will be finished faster.”
The $257 million congressional appropriation is intended to address long-standing infrastructure and maintenance concerns at the Washington, D.C., performing arts landmark. Trump has previously criticized the institution as too “woke” and restructured its leadership, removing several bipartisan board members and installing himself as chairman.
Since the governance overhaul and renaming decision, the Kennedy Center has faced public pushback from segments of the arts community. Several performers have canceled appearances in recent months. Composer Phillip Glass withdrew from a June performance with the National Symphony Orchestra. Opera singer Renée Fleming, banjo player Béla Fleck, Doug Varone and Dancers, and Kristy Lee are among others who have pulled scheduled shows.
Financial pressures have also emerged. An October analysis by The Washington Post found that ticket sales declined after Trump assumed operational control of the center.
Trump’s announcement follows his recent appearance at the Kennedy Center alongside Melania Trump for the world premiere of the first lady’s documentary film, “Melania,” underscoring the administration’s continued engagement with the institution during a period of significant transition.
If approved by the board, the Kennedy Center closure would mark one of the most consequential structural overhauls in the venue’s history, reshaping both its physical footprint and its public identity ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
