Trump says Kennedy Center to close for two years for ‘complete rebuilding’ starting July 4
President Donald Trump said he will temporarily close Washington’s Kennedy Center for roughly two years beginning July 4 — the nation’s 250th anniversary — to undertake what he called a “complete rebuilding” of the landmark performing arts complex. The plan, announced on his Truth Social platform, is subject to approval by the center’s board, which Trump now chairs and has handpicked.
- Advertisement -
“I have determined that the fastest way to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur, is to cease Entertainment Operations for an approximately two year period of time,” Trump wrote, using the rebranded name he has placed on the institution’s facade. He added that the facility, if “temporarily closed for Construction, Revitalisation, and Complete Rebuilding,” could become “without question, the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World.”
“America will be very proud of its new and beautiful Landmark for many generations to come,” he said.
The scope of the overhaul remains unclear. Trump has repeatedly described the complex — opened in 1971 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy — as outdated and in need of a significant facelift. He has also recast the center’s direction since returning to office, denouncing some programming as too “woke” and asserting tighter control over the once largely nonpartisan arts institution.
The announcement lands amid growing turbulence in the Kennedy Center’s schedule and partnerships. Since Trump’s appointment as chairman and the installation of a new board, several marquee artists and productions have withdrawn from planned appearances, including the hit musical “Hamilton,” operatic soprano Renée Fleming and composer Philip Glass. The Washington National Opera, a resident company since the center’s earliest days, recently said it would depart the venue. Some artists and organizations have pointed to Trump’s name being added to the building, while others have cited logistical or financial strain.
The proposed shutdown would halt performances and public programming for approximately two years, beginning on a symbolically resonant date. In his post, Trump framed the closure as the quickest way to deliver a top-to-bottom upgrade of the venue and its operations, though he did not provide a detailed construction plan, budget, or timeline beyond the target duration.
Trump’s move represents the most aggressive intervention in the Kennedy Center’s governance and identity since its opening. While the center was created to honor the legacy of President Kennedy and to host a broad slate of performing arts, Trump’s chairmanship has ushered in sweeping changes to leadership, branding and bookings. He has argued those changes are necessary to restore prestige and to attract wider audiences, even as high-profile cancellations have signaled unrest within parts of the arts community.
The president’s plan requires formal approval from the Kennedy Center’s board, according to his post. He did not say when the board would meet or vote, or how the center would handle ticket holders, resident companies and staff during the proposed hiatus. He also did not specify how the renovation would be funded or what aspects of the facility would be rebuilt or replaced.
The Kennedy Center’s future programming calendar and partnerships were already in flux before the announcement. A full closure would likely intensify that uncertainty, forcing touring productions and local institutions to find alternate stages in the Washington region. Trump, however, framed the temporary shutdown as a necessary step toward delivering a “new and beautiful Landmark” that he says will endure for generations.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
