President Trump announced on Sunday that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., will close for approximately two years to undergo "Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding." The temporary closure is expected to start on July 4.
According to the president, the decision was made after a year of review by experts, which concluded that a full closure would produce faster and higher-quality results compared to partial construction. Trump claimed that the center has been in "bad condition" both financially and structurally for many years and will be transformed into a "World Class Bastion of Arts, Music, and Entertainment."
Kennedy Center Director Richard Grenell echoed Trump's sentiments, stating that the center "desperately needs this renovation." However, he also noted that the temporary closure is a brief one in retrospect.
The announcement comes after President Trump's name was added to the exterior of the building, sparking outrage from Democratic lawmakers who argued that the name change required legislative approval. Trump has since installed close allies as new board members who voted to include his name on the center.
The Kennedy Center has faced criticism from performers and artists who are pulling out due to Trump's takeover. In a social media post, John F. Kennedy's grandson, Jack Schlossberg, called Trump's actions "embarrassing" and vowed to take action against him.
Several legal groups have also threatened further action over the center's closure and name change. The Democracy Defenders Action and Washington Litigation Group are suing the Trump administration on behalf of a former board member over the venue's new name, stating that they will consider all available remedies to address the issue.
The Kennedy Center has not commented on the announcement.
According to the president, the decision was made after a year of review by experts, which concluded that a full closure would produce faster and higher-quality results compared to partial construction. Trump claimed that the center has been in "bad condition" both financially and structurally for many years and will be transformed into a "World Class Bastion of Arts, Music, and Entertainment."
Kennedy Center Director Richard Grenell echoed Trump's sentiments, stating that the center "desperately needs this renovation." However, he also noted that the temporary closure is a brief one in retrospect.
The announcement comes after President Trump's name was added to the exterior of the building, sparking outrage from Democratic lawmakers who argued that the name change required legislative approval. Trump has since installed close allies as new board members who voted to include his name on the center.
The Kennedy Center has faced criticism from performers and artists who are pulling out due to Trump's takeover. In a social media post, John F. Kennedy's grandson, Jack Schlossberg, called Trump's actions "embarrassing" and vowed to take action against him.
Several legal groups have also threatened further action over the center's closure and name change. The Democracy Defenders Action and Washington Litigation Group are suing the Trump administration on behalf of a former board member over the venue's new name, stating that they will consider all available remedies to address the issue.
The Kennedy Center has not commented on the announcement.
. The fact that the Kennedy Center is being closed for two years makes me really nervous about the state of our cultural institutions in the US. We need places like that which bring people together and provide a platform for artists to shine. It's unacceptable that President Trump is making decisions without input from experts or the public 
. The fact that he's added his name to the building and installed his friends on the board is just laughable 
. I mean, what's next? Is he going to make some random changes in our national parks or museums? It's not right. I hope there are some good people out there who can step up and fight for these important institutions 
.
i cant believe trump is doing this to the kennedy center!!! 
like what is he even thinking?? the center is supposed to be a world class arts space and now its just gonna become some kinda trump thingy? 
and yeah jack schlossberg said it all too - trumps actions are just super embarrassing for his family name lol 
and i mean whats with the closure tho?? 2 yrs is way long and they say its gonna get a "complete rebuild" ?? what does that even mean 
anywayz im lowkey worried about all these artists pulling out cuz of trumps involvement 
, but at the same time, I think it's awesome that Trump is finally giving it a major overhaul 
! I mean, 2 whole years might seem like a long time, but just imagine how beautiful and world-class it'll be when it reopens 
! Richard Grenell seems pretty on board with the renovation plan, so fingers crossed everything goes smoothly 
. Jack Schlossberg's all upset about Trump's name change tho 
, but I hope the new board members bring some fresh ideas to the table 
! Can't wait to see what changes come out of this renovation 
its also kinda sad that people are pulling out from performing at the center because of trumps involvement 
its like he's trying to silence them or something. on one hand i get what the president is saying about making it a "world class" thing but like where is the money comin from? and whats with the name change tho? seems kinda petty 
Newsflash, buddy: we don't forget about your ego-stroking moments anytime soon. 
... and what's with the name change, couldn't they just leave it alone? 
I mean, who wouldn't want to see an upgraded venue with top-notch performances and events? 
The temporary closure is gonna give them all the time they need to get it right 
! What about all the events and performances that are gonna get cancelled? And what's up with Trump adding his name to the building without even getting approval from Congress 
? I know he wants to leave his mark, but can't he do it in a way that doesn't stir so much drama and controversy? 
This is what's happening at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts right now. President Trump's decision to close it for two years without consulting the board or the community that depends on it is a classic example of how power can be abused. The fact that his name will remain on the building despite controversy surrounding it just shows how far things have gone. It's up to us to speak out against such actions and fight for what's right, even if it means taking a stand against those in power 
Anyway, it seems like Trump's just making changes as he pleases and people are kinda losing their cool about it. Did they at least get some input from other experts or is this all just a one-man show? 
I'm not sure why they're closing it down for 2 years... I mean, I get that it needs some work, but can't we just fix it a bit at a time? 
And now they're saying some lawyers are going to sue them over it... isn't that just adding more drama to an already weird situation? 