Sources: Kennedy Center Board Proceeding With 2-Year Closure for Renovations

The Kennedy Center's board has approved a two-year closure to conduct major renovation work, according to two people familiar with the decision. Some outdoor performances may continue during the construction period.

The board, composed largely of allies of President Donald Trump, voted Thursday to advance the plan, which leaders said addresses significant safety and infrastructure concerns. Critics worry the closure could help broader changes as part of Trump's effort to reshape Washington during his second term.

The decision comes after U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper previously halted a closure scheduled to begin July 5. It remains uncertain whether Thursday's vote will prompt another legal challenge. In his earlier ruling, Cooper noted that the board's March 16 approval of the shutdown appeared "ill-informed and seemingly preordained."

Before the meeting, Kennedy Center officials indicated the board would consider three options: a complete facility closure; a partial closure allowing "some continued public access and limited programming in spaces unaffected" By renovation work, with performances continuing at the Reach outdoor campus; or "a highly limited series of phased closures to address only the Center's most serious infrastructure needs while scheduling and maintaining a full slate of programming."

Trump replaced the Kennedy Center's leadership and installed a new board after returning to the White House in January 2025, subsequently becoming chairman. In December, the board added Trump's name to the building, though Cooper later ruled that action unlawful. Trump's name was removed in June, but the location remains covered by a large tarp, with Cooper directing updates on how long the covering will remain.

The renovation is part of Trump's broader campaign to remake Washington landmarks. Other initiatives include demolishing the White House East Wing for a new ballroom, halted last week after an appeals court ruled Congress had not approved it; renovation work at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool that has faced continuing problems with algae; and planned renovations of the East Potomac Park golf course and a triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery.

Trump has described the Kennedy Center as "rusted, rotted, and rat and bug infested." After Cooper blocked the closure and name addition, Trump suggested turning the facility to Congress.

Kennedy Center officials maintain the renovation is necessary due to the building's deteriorating condition. During an April tour, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Matt Floca showed reporters areas with extensive water damage, noting corrosion had reduced some steel supports to tissue-paper thickness, and major mechanical systems, including several 800-ton cooling units, are decades old. Floca said: "When the president asked: 'How do you make these projects the best? How do you make them really excellent and deliver them efficiently?' my recommendation was you close the building and you do everything over a definite period of time, two years."

At the Mark Twain Prize ceremony in late June, Kennedy Center trustee Pamella Roland DeVos said the institution is a "national cultural center open not just for some but for every American patron who wants to experience the greatest art and expression the world has to offer."