Kennedy Center closes as Trump threatens to stop repairs over naming fight

President Donald Trump's 19-month effort to gain full control of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts reached a critical juncture on Tuesday as its board decided to immediately shut down the building for a two-year, $250 million renovation. The renovation was threatened with cancellation by Trump unless his name was added to the institution.

A federal judge had previously barred the center from adding Trump's name to the building. Despite this, Trump claimed that the renovations could not commence until the D.C. Circuit ruled on the approved name. If the appeals court ruled against the center and the Supreme Court did not overturn that decision, Trump stated that the reconstruction and renovation of the Kennedy Center would not take place.

The closure came after a series of events, including an incident in which a section of ceiling plaster fell during a storm, no one was injured, but inspectors found water-related deterioration in multiple locations, and widespread corrosion in structural components. The Center's management presented these issues as a broader network of aging and deteriorating systems that could not be safely repaired while the building remained occupied.

Trustees approved the closure, prioritizing safety over the renovation, and emphasized that the center would continue programming at other venues.