Donald Trump has announced that the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC will cease entertainment operations for approximately two years starting on 4 July, while renovations take place. In a post on Truth Social, he said the decision was subject to board approval, and that the venue would hold a “grand reopening” that would “rival and surpass” anything previously staged there.
The announcement comes amid turmoil at the centre, which has seen a wave of performer cancellations and its lowest ticket sales in years since Trump orchestrated a leadership overhaul early in his term. An analysis for the Washington Post found that 43% of tickets for typical productions remained unsold between 3 September and 19 October last year.
Trump, who was named chair of the institution by its new board in February 2025, said he had been reviewing the venue for a year to decide between full closure or partial closure during reconstruction. He previously stated that the centre would “not be woke”, adding: “There’s no more woke in this country.”
The centre’s board of trustees, handpicked by Trump, voted in December to rename the institution the “Trump-Kennedy Center”. However, by law the venue is designated the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and any name change is generally understood to require congressional approval.
Several prominent artists have withdrawn from scheduled performances, including producer Jeffrey Seller, actor Issa Rae, musician Rhiannon Giddens, Peter Wolf and the band Low Cut Connie. Shonda Rhimes resigned from the board of trustees, while Renée Fleming and Ben Folds stepped down as artistic advisers. In January, the Washington National Opera announced it would move its performances out of the Kennedy Center after more than 40 years.
