Trump’s Kennedy Center sabotage is complete
This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump can’t put his name on the Kennedy Center — so he’s closing it, effective immediately. What’s happening? On Tuesday, the board of […]
On September 15, 2026, the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, decided to permanently close the facility due to its dire financial state and deteriorating condition. The closure came after a federal judge struck down Trump's attempts to have his name permanently engraved on the building's facade and in its official title.
Trump, who had taken control of the Kennedy Center board and placed himself as chair, had sought to claim the prestigious cultural landmark as his own. In December 2025, he briefly renamed the center the Trump-Kennedy Center, only for a federal judge to order the removal of his name in June 2026. During this time, Trump had even threatened to demolish the center if his demands were not met.
The Kennedy Center was already facing significant challenges before Trump took office. Ticket sales and fundraising had declined sharply following his controversial renaming, leading to a substantial $100 million funding gap. Now that Trump cannot bring the center under his control, it will be permanently shuttered, ending a chapter in its storied history.
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