President Trump says the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts—which now has his name on the building—will close for two years in July for renovations, reports the Washington Post. In a Truth Social post Sunday, Trump said he plans to temporarily close the federally chartered arts complex starting July 4 so it can undergo what he described as a comprehensive overhaul. He promised it would become "the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World." The move needs formal approval from the institution's board, but its new members are Trump appointees.
Trump, who became the center's chairman last February, argued that remaining open during construction would drag out the work and compromise quality. "If we don't close, the quality of Construction will not be nearly as good," he wrote, adding that financing for the project is "completed, and fully in place." He did not give any details regarding estimated cost or whether federal funding, private donations, or both would pay for the renovations, Fox News reports. He characterized the center as "tired, broken, and dilapidated," in line with his earlier claims that it is in "tremendous disrepair."
The center and the White House did not respond to requests for comment on the proposal. Internally, the institution has been in flux: most senior programming officials have either resigned or been removed, and last week Kevin Couch, hired as senior vice president of artistic programming, stepped down less than two weeks after his appointment was announced. The artistic fallout has been visible onstage and off. Ticket and subscription sales have slumped over the past year, leaving more empty seats, while a roster of prominent performers and productions has withdrawn since Trump's name was added to the center's branding.
Those backing out include composer Philip Glass, soprano Renée Fleming, banjoist Béla Fleck, and Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz. Fleming and musician Ben Folds also left their advisory roles. A source tells CNN the "growing artist boycott was becoming untenable," adding that Couch left because he was struggling to get anyone well-known to perform there. Whether Trump has the authority to add his name to the building without the authority of Congress remains unclear, per the AP.
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