Kennedy Center Board Backs Trump Plan for Two-Year Shutdown After July 4 Celebrations
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts is preparing for a two-year closure after its board of directors voted Monday to support President Donald Trump’s proposal to shut the institution down, according to the Associated Press.
The planned shutdown is set to begin after July 4 celebrations at the Washington, D.C., venue marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. Trump first floated the idea in February, arguing that a full closure would be necessary to remake what he described as “a tired, broken, and dilapidated Center” into “the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind.”
Speaking to reporters ahead of Monday’s vote, Trump said, “We’re going to ensure it remains the finest performing arts facility of its kind anywhere in the world,” the AP reported. The New York Times also quoted him emphasizing his preference for a comprehensive construction approach: “What I know best in the world is construction. The best way to do it is close it, do it properly and reopen it, have a grand reopening. And when it’s finished it’s going to be far better than it was when it was originally built.”
The board meeting took place at the White House, where directors also approved the appointment of Matt Floca as CEO and executive director. Floca replaces Richard Grenell, a Trump ally who resigned last Friday. Trump confirmed Grenell’s departure on Truth Social last week and said Floca would take over following a board vote. In that post, Trump wrote, “Ric Grenell has done an excellent job in helping to coordinate various elements of the Center during the transition period, and I want to thank him for the outstanding work he has done.”
The vote and leadership change arrive amid a broader reshaping of cultural institutions in the nation’s capital during Trump’s second administration. The AP report situated the Kennedy Center within a wider set of initiatives that have included controversial renovations to the White House and its grounds, as well as efforts to tighten control over exhibitions and displays at the Smithsonian Institution and at national monuments and other sites overseen by the National Park Service.
Over roughly the past year, Trump has pushed out much of the Kennedy Center’s prior leadership, installed a new board that elected him chairman, and sought to attach his name to the institution’s official title. The venue was designated a “living memorial” to President John F. Kennedy in 1964, and its formal name remains the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. While Trump’s name has been added to the building’s facade, the Times and AP described the official name change as legally questionable.
The upheaval has already had visible consequences for programming. Several prominent artists and organizations have withdrawn from scheduled appearances, including composer Philip Glass and the Martha Graham Dance Company earlier this year. The Washington National Opera has also said it would look for a new home.
Representative Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio and an ex-officio member of the Kennedy Center board, has filed suit challenging both the attempted name change and the proposed closure. The closure-related complaint, filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, argues that Trump’s public statements suggest plans to demolish the existing building and contends that Congress has not authorized either closing the center or undertaking a “complete rebuilding.”
Beatty also sought a court order ensuring she could attend Monday’s meeting and vote. A federal judge ruled that she could attend, which she did, but did not require the board to allow her to cast a vote, according to the AP. The Times reported that she did not vote and cited a news release describing the board’s decision as unanimous.
With the board now aligned behind the shutdown plan and a new chief executive in place, the next phase will test how a federally chartered cultural landmark balances renovation ambitions, legal scrutiny, and the practical realities of keeping a national stage alive while its doors are slated to close for two years.
