President Trump says the Kennedy Center will close for two years for a “complete rebuilding,” citing declining ticket sales and performer cancellations.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will close for approximately two years for a major renovation.
The closure of the storied Washington arts complex is set to begin on July 4, the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Trump, who serves as the centre’s chairman of the board, announced the decision on his Truth Social platform on Sunday.
“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,” he posted.
He stated the decision is subject to board approval, a board he handpicked after taking over as chairman last year.
Trump argued that ongoing performances would impede the necessary construction and renovation work.
“The Trump Kennedy Center, if temporarily closed for Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding, can be, without question, the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World,” he wrote.
He added that “America will be very proud of its new and beautiful Landmark for many generations to come.”
The extent of the planned “complete rebuilding” remains unclear.
Trump has long criticised the facility, built as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy and opened in 1971, as dilapidated.
Social media speculation quickly suggested the institution was losing too much money to stay open.
Some users speculated Trump might intend to demolish and rebuild the centre entirely.
Author and Kennedy family member Maria Shriver offered a pointed critique on social media platform X.
She stated the facility is suffering because “no one wants to perform there any longer” and that “everybody’s canceling.”
Several prominent artists have cancelled Kennedy Center appearances since Trump’s board takeover.
Cancellations include the musical “Hamilton,” soprano Renee Fleming, and composer Philip Glass.
The Washington National Opera recently announced it would leave the Kennedy Center after more than 50 years.
Some cancellations have directly cited the addition of Trump’s name to the institution’s facade.
The name change, which added “Trump” to the Kennedy Center, did not receive required congressional approval.
A staff shakeup has also occurred, including the brief tenure and quick resignation of a new senior vice president.
A Washington Post review last October found Kennedy Center ticket sales at their lowest post-pandemic levels.
The report highlighted tens of thousands of unsold seats last year.
Television viewership for the annual Kennedy Center Honors gala hosted by Trump in December also hit a record low.
Nielsen data showed viewership was down 25% from 2024.
