(AFP) – US President Donald Trump announced Sunday he is closing the Kennedy Center for two years for a thorough renovation, as the storied Washington arts complex struggles with declining ticket sales and a backlash from performers. The closure, he said, would begin on July 4 — the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Since returning to office, Trump has launched a forceful takeover of the once non-partisan center, branding some of its programming too “woke” and adding his own name to the facade. “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,” Trump, who is the center’s chairman of the board, posted on his Truth Social platform. The decision, he said, will be subject to the approval of the board, which he handpicked upon taking over as chairman last year.
Trump said the facility’s various entertainment events — concerts, operas, musicals, ballet performances, and interactive arts — would impede and slow the construction and renovation operations, and that a full temporary closure would be necessary. “The Trump Kennedy Center, if temporarily closed for Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding, can be, without question, the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World,” he said. “America will be very proud of its new and beautiful Landmark for many generations to come.”
The extent of the “complete rebuilding” mentioned by Trump is unclear, but he has long declared that the structure — built as a living memorial to slain US president John F. Kennedy and opened in 1971 — is dilapidated and needs a facelift.
Social media was swiftly abuzz with speculation that the institution was hemorrhaging too much money to stay open, or that Trump’s words might even suggest he intends to demolish the structure and build a new arts center in its place. Author and activist Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family, offered a pointed post on X, saying the facility is suffering because “no one wants to perform there any longer” and that “everybody’s canceling.”
Since the makeover of the board, including the installment of Trump as chairman, several prominent artists and shows have cancelled their appearances at the center, including the musical “Hamilton,” operatic soprano Renee Fleming, and renowned composer Philip Glass. The Washington National Opera recently announced it would leave the Kennedy Center, its home since the center’s opening more than 50 years ago. Some have directly cited Trump’s name being added to the institution and its facade, while others have noted logistical or financial pressures.
The change of name at the center — a project established by Congress — did not receive the required approval from US lawmakers. A staff shakeup has occurred as well. Kevin Couch was announced on January 16 as the center’s new senior vice president of artistic planning. By Wednesday, he had resigned, National Public Radio reported.
According to a detailed review last October by The Washington Post, Kennedy Center ticket sales have plummeted to their lowest levels since the pandemic, equating to tens of thousands of unsold seats last year. In December, Trump hosted the annual Kennedy Center awards, and television viewership for the gala plummeted to a record low, 25 percent down from 2024, according to Nielsen data. – Michael Mathes
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