The John F Kennedy Center, a world-renowned venue in Washington D.C., will be shuttered for two years as part of Donald Trump's plan to revamp the institution. The president, who has been overseeing the center since February 2025, announced on Sunday that entertainment operations would cease from July 4th.
Trump claimed he had been reviewing the center for a year before making his decision, stating that halting operations was the fastest way to restore its "Success, Beauty, and Grandeur". The plan involves a two-year hiatus, followed by a grand reopening, with Trump promising it will surpass anything the venue has seen previously.
The Kennedy Center, which typically hosts over 2,000 events annually, has been in turmoil since Trump took over. Many performers have cancelled shows or pulled out due to concerns over the center's direction and shift away from what they perceive as its original mission of promoting artistic expression without ideological agendas.
Notable figures such as producers and actors Jeffrey Seller and Shonda Rhimes, Grammy-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens, and actor Renée Fleming have all stepped down or resigned from their roles at the center due to these changes. The recent announcement also came amidst declining ticket sales - an analysis found that 43% of typical productions sold no tickets during a four-month period.
The institution's board of trustees voted last December to rename the venue, but it remains subject to congressional approval as per its designation under law.
Trump claimed he had been reviewing the center for a year before making his decision, stating that halting operations was the fastest way to restore its "Success, Beauty, and Grandeur". The plan involves a two-year hiatus, followed by a grand reopening, with Trump promising it will surpass anything the venue has seen previously.
The Kennedy Center, which typically hosts over 2,000 events annually, has been in turmoil since Trump took over. Many performers have cancelled shows or pulled out due to concerns over the center's direction and shift away from what they perceive as its original mission of promoting artistic expression without ideological agendas.
Notable figures such as producers and actors Jeffrey Seller and Shonda Rhimes, Grammy-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens, and actor Renée Fleming have all stepped down or resigned from their roles at the center due to these changes. The recent announcement also came amidst declining ticket sales - an analysis found that 43% of typical productions sold no tickets during a four-month period.
The institution's board of trustees voted last December to rename the venue, but it remains subject to congressional approval as per its designation under law.
, can't believe what's going on at the Kennedy Center! 
Trump's decision to shut down the whole place for two years is just wild 
. I mean, I get it, they wanna make some changes and all that, but completely halt operations? That's not gonna end well 
. And those cancellations... 43% of shows sold no tickets? What even is that? 
I've heard it's been a tough time for performers too - those producers and actors who stepped down... no wonder! 
. We need more cultural events like that, not less 
. Anyway, I guess we'll have to wait and see how this whole thing plays out 
.
... Like, I get why they wanna renovate and stuff, but a two-year shut down? That's kinda harsh, you feel? 
Trump is saying it'll be better in the end, but how do we know that for sure? 
And what's with all these performers leaving? I think some of them are just being dramatic, but others have legit reasons to be concerned. Like, isn't artistic expression kinda important or something? 
But then again... maybe Trump knows somethin' we don't and this is all gonna be awesome 
? Wait, no... that can't be right... I mean, what if it's a total disaster when they reopen? 
and wants it to be better than ever? Interesting, he claims, but many performers have already left due to ideological changes... like what's the point of arts if there are agendas involved? The recent decline in ticket sales is a huge red flag too - 43% of shows sold no tickets? It's gonna be hard to turn it around after two years 
i'm not exactly sure how much of this i trust, but as an arts lover, it's definitely got me a bit concerned.
. Trump thinks he can just swoop in and turn the Kennedy Center into some kinda theme park or something? Get real, dude! The center's been struggling because of its direction, not because it was failing overall. And now you're just gonna shut it down for two years to "restore" its grandeur? Please, that's just gonna be a fancy way of saying they have no idea what they're doing 
. And good luck with the renovations, Trump - I'm sure your expertise on opera and jazz is unmatched 
. The performers who left already knew something was up - now more people are gonna follow suit. Declining ticket sales? Yeah, that's not a surprise considering the center's been going through all these changes...
. In fact, 43% of typical productions sold no tickets during a 4-month period 
. Meanwhile, the venue's attendance has dropped by 12% compared to the same time last year 
.
. This includes notable figures like Shonda Rhimes and Jeffrey Seller, who've stepped down due to concerns over the center's direction 
. However, I think it's gonna be tough for the venue to regain its former glory 
.
. I mean, I get it, a revamp sounds good and all, but halting operations for 2 years? That's just crazy talk! 
. And those performers who spoke out? Total heroes in my books 
. I'm still holding on to hope that the board of trustees gets its act together and renames it before Trump can make good on his promises 
. Declining ticket sales are just the icing on the cake 
, let's see how this whole thing plays out... 
... I mean, can you imagine having your whole identity taken away? It's like, they're just shutting down everything that makes them who they are. I feel for all the artists and performers who have already had to deal with the changes and now this is happening too... 2 years?! That's a long time to be in limbo 
... what about all the people who were looking forward to attending events at the center? And what's going on with the renaming thing? It just seems so unnecessary 
This whole thing just seems like a huge headache for everyone involved...
.
. Trump's just using it as another PR stunt to show he's a 'big deal' 
. Shutting down the venue for two years? That's gonna kill the arts scene in D.C. 
. What about all those performers who are already saying no to his changes? 
And what about the fans? They're gonna be left in the dark without their favorite events happening at the center... it's just a lot of uncertainty, you know?