Trump Says He’ll Close Kennedy Center for Two Years in July

Workers add US President Donald Trump's name to the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, in December. — Workers add US President Donald Trump's name to the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, in December.
Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg

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By María Paula Mijares Torres and Jennifer A Dlouhy

February 1, 2026 at 11:33 PM UTC

Updated on

February 2, 2026 at 12:06 AM UTC

President Donald Trump said he plans to close the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for about two years to carry out renovations after his takeover prompted a significant backlash.

“I have determined that the fastest way to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur, is to cease Entertainment Operations for an approximately two year period of time, with a scheduled Grand Reopening that will rival and surpass anything that has taken place with respect to such a Facility before,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Sunday, using the new name he and his board imposed on the building.