A day after announcing the closure of the Kennedy Center for two years for renovations, Donald Trump told reporters that the plans would not be for “ripping it out.”
But he signaled major changes to the complex, as he said. “I’ll be using the steel. So we’re using the structure. We’re using some of the marble, and some of the marble comes down, but when it’s open it will be brand new and really beautiful. It will be at the highest level.”
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said that the plans are for the center to close on July 4 for two years, enabling a speedier construction than if crews had to work around ongoing performances.
The president said that the closure plan is subject to approval from the Kennedy Center board, which is now dominated by Trump loyalists.
Trump’s announcement quickly drew suspicion that the renovations are merely an excuse for the closure, given that a number of artists have withdrawn from shows and ticket sales have reportedly fallen since the president took over the complex. Just weeks after he took office for his second term, Trump ousted board members appointed by his Democratic predecessors, ensuring that the remaining Trump appointees would elect him chairman.
CNN, citing an unnamed source, reported on Monday that the center did not have a 2026-27 season of programming to announce.
Norm Eisen and Nathaniel Zelinsky, who are representing Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) in her lawsuit challenging the board’s vote to add Trump’s name to the center, said that the closure “raises serious questions about whether his purpose isn’t to renovate but to shut the Center down to avoid further embarrassment. This will add further injury to the damage already done.”
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed Congress last year with only Republican votes, includes $257 million for Kennedy Center renovations. Trump told reporters that the renovation project will cost about $200 million, and will include new air conditioning and heating. “The steel will all be checked out because it will be fully exposed,” Trump said.
But many questions remain, including the specific plans for the renovations and how it will change the interior and exterior of the building. Trump had earlier said that his plans for a new ballroom at the White House would not interfere with the existing structure. But several months later, construction crews tore down the East Wing and colonnade, as well as the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden.
Designed by Edward Durell Stone, it opened in 1971 as a national cultural center named for John F. Kennedy, less than a decade after his assassination.
Also unclear is what will happen to shows that are planned after July 4, including Back to the Future: The Musical, Mrs. Doubtfire and The Outsiders. Also unclear is what will happen to other events, including the Kennedy Center Honors and the Mark Twain Prize, both of which have has streaming or telecast sponsors. The Washington Post reported that the National Symphony Orchestra will try to find alternative venues during the closure.
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