Trump Announces Two-Year Renovation of the Kennedy Center Amid Controversy

Mon Feb 02 2026 13:57:44 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

President Trump reveals plans to close the Kennedy Center for renovations starting July 4, 2026, amid backlash over the venue's name change.

In an announcement on Truth Social, President Trump declared that the Kennedy Center will close for a two-year renovation beginning July 4, 2026, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the United States. This follows controversy over the center's recent name change to include Trump's name, which has prompted several artists to cancel their performances. Critics argue that the name change violates federal law, and there have been calls from lawmakers and members of John F. Kennedy's family for the removal of Trump's name.

The Kennedy Center in Washington DC will be closed for a two-year renovation beginning in July, President Donald Trump has announced.

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump said the center would close on July 4 this year in honor of the 250th Anniversary of our Country.

The move follows several artists cancelling performances at the storied institution after it was recently renamed as the Trump Kennedy Center.

Shortly after taking office, the president fired several of the board members at the center and replaced them with allies, who then voted to make Trump chairman of the board.

The new board renamed the institution the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in December, with new signage appearing on the building's exterior the following day.

Several musical acts, including Steven Schwartz, the composer of the musical Wicked, and the group Doug Varone and the Dancers, cancelled performances in the following weeks due to the Trump name change.

On Thursday, the venue hosted a premiere screening of a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump.

Trump has stated that a scheduled grand reopening for the facility will happen, and that the renovations have already been financed. He expressed that he believes the renovations would make the center one of the best performing arts facilities in the world.

Some U.S. lawmakers and legal scholars contend that since the center was named in a 1964 law, Congress must approve any name change. Last December, Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty filed a lawsuit to remove Trump’s name for this reason.

Beyond the legal battles, members of John F. Kennedy's family have condemned the name change, asserting that the center serves as a living memorial to the late president."