Follow Al Rai
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the 'Kennedy Center' will close its doors, possibly permanently, after a court ruled that his name could not be added to the facade of the venerable cultural institution.
Trump explained that the Center's board of trustees in Washington voted in favor of closing for emergency and necessary restoration work, and it will not reopen unless the court ruling is overturned.
On his platform Truth Social, he wrote, 'The Kennedy Center's board of directors today, almost unanimously, agreed to close the building for safety reasons, to allow the renovation process to begin.'
Trump added that the site would close immediately, but noted that the 'huge and complex' renovation work could only begin after a higher court ruled on the possibility of changing its name by adding Trump's name.
He explained, 'If the ruling is negative, which it should not be, and the US Supreme Court does not overturn it, then no reconstruction and renovation will take place at the Kennedy Center.'
The Washington Post reported on Sunday that officials at the 'Kennedy Center' who sought to add Donald Trump's name to the institution warned that the Center faced the risk of bankruptcy and closure within days.
Officials warned in the 57-page document that the Center 'may not be able to pay salaries or meet regular maintenance contracts' in a matter of weeks.
They considered in the report that publicly honoring Trump at the Center could secure the necessary funding and ensure its continuity.
Shortly after returning to the White House in early 2025, Trump appointed his close associates to the Center's board of directors and appointed himself as its chairman.
In December, the Center's board of directors voted to rename it the 'Trump Kennedy Center', adding the Republican president's name to the facade in large gold letters above Kennedy's.
However, a US judge ruled on May 29 that changing the name of the Center and adding Trump's name was illegal and ordered its board to remove any reference to Trump from the building and its website.
The board of directors implemented the court decision but voted on August 13 that Donald Trump's name must be mentioned on the building's facade in recognition of his efforts to restore the architecture.
The judge also temporarily suspended the restoration work ordered by Trump, considering that the board had not taken into account the negative consequences of closing the site.
Shortly after the decision, Trump announced that he was stepping down from overseeing the Center.
Many artists canceled concerts at the Center in protest against Trump's dominance, and US media reported that ticket sales had fallen to their lowest levels since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Washington Post noted that the Center expected to collect about $124 million of the $220 million budgeted revenue, 'leaving a deficit of about $23 million even after significantly reducing expenses' during the last fiscal year.
In addition, the building was damaged by a severe storm that hit the area earlier this month, adding to the other necessary restoration work.
The Kennedy Center declined to comment on the newspaper's report and referred Agence France-Presse to a recent statement by its spokeswoman Roma Darabi, in which the previous administration was blamed for 'decades of neglect and postponement of maintenance work'.
A spokesman for Agence France-Presse, who requested anonymity, said, 'Adding President Trump's name to the building attracted new donors and was essential for raising additional funds to restore the Center.'
Know more about this story?Send us a tip
Ask about this report — answers stay grounded in its text.
