DC arts venue, which has seen wave of canceled events after Trump\u2019s takeover, will start renovations in July<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The John F Kennedy Center, a world-class venue for the performing arts in Washington DC<\/a>, will halt entertainment events for two years starting on 4 July during renovations, Donald Trump<\/a> posted on Sunday on Truth Social.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Kennedy Center, which has seen a wave<\/a> of performers cancel events<\/a> in recent months as well as the lowest ticket sales<\/a> in years, has been in turmoil since the president orchestrated a leadership overhaul<\/a> in the beginning of his term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his Truth Social post<\/a>, Trump claimed he had been reviewing the venue for one year to decide between a full closure and reopening or partial closure during its reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBased on these findings, and totally subject to Board approval, 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,\u201d Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump began his takeover of the Kennedy Center in February 2025, overhauling<\/a> the board who immediately named him chair<\/a> of the institution. The president spoke of his plans for the venue in February, saying: \u201cWe\u2019re going to make sure that it\u2019s good and it\u2019s not going to be woke. There\u2019s no more woke in this country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The center historically has hosted more than 2,000 events a year, according to the website, although many performers have pulled out of planned shows since Trump\u2019s shakeup began. Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller said in a March social media post<\/a> that \u201cour show simply cannot, in conscience, participate and be a part of this new culture that is being imposed on the Kennedy Center\u201d. Actor and producer Issa Rae, Grammy-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens, Peter Wolf, and rock band Low Cut Connie also called off Kennedy Center performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other notable artists have reacted to Trump putting himself in charge of the institution as well. Television producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes resigned<\/a> from the center\u2019s board of trustees in February, as soprano and actor Ren\u00e9e Fleming<\/a> and singer and songwriter Ben Folds<\/a> stepped down as artistic advisers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In December, the center\u2019s new board of trustees, handpicked by Trump, voted to rename<\/a> the world-renowned institution to the \u201cTrump-Kennedy Center\u201d. However, the venue is, by law, designated the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and was built to be a living memorial to the former president, according to the New York Times<\/a>. The paper noted it had been generally understood that any change to the center\u2019s name would require congressional approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In January, the Washington National Opera announced it would, after more than 40 years, be moving<\/a> its performances out of the Kennedy Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n