Kennedy Center to Undergo Lengthy Renovation Amid Controversy Over Name Change

Mon Feb 02 2026 13:56:30 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The renowned Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. will close for two years starting July 4, 2026, as announced by former President Donald Trump, amidst ongoing debates over its contentious renaming.

Former President Donald Trump has declared that the Kennedy Center will be closed for renovations beginning July 4, 2026, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the United States. This decision follows significant controversy surrounding the center's renaming to the 'Trump Kennedy Center', which has resulted in multiple artist cancellations and legal challenges over the new designation. Trump asserts the upgrades will create a world-class performing arts facility, with funding delays attributed to continued performances during renovations.

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, Trump said the centre 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 centre 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. New signage appeared on the building's exterior the following day.

Following the name change, several musical acts, including Steven Schwartz, the composer of the musical Wicked, cancelled performances at the center.

Trump has said there would be a 'scheduled grand reopening' for the facility, noting that the renovations had already been financed. He asserted that a temporary closure for construction could yield a top-quality performing arts facility.

However, this decision has faced criticism from lawmakers and legal scholars, arguing that any name change could require Congressional approval, as the centre was renamed in a 1964 law. Democratic US Representative Joyce Beatty has filed a lawsuit seeking to remove Trump's name.

Some members of President John F Kennedy's family have denounced the name change, emphasizing that the center was established as a memorial shortly after his assassination.