President Trump announced on Sunday that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will close for approximately two years for what he described as construction, revitalization and rebuilding. The president said the venue in Washington, D.C., will fully close beginning July 4.
Details about how much of the existing building will be altered have not been provided. When asked whether the center would be demolished, Trump said he would not completely tear it down and that some steel and marble from the current structure would be reused. He estimated the project would cost about $200 million.
Trump said the decision to shut the facility rather than keep it partially open during work followed a yearlong review by experts. In a post on Truth Social he argued that a temporary, full closure would deliver faster and higher-quality results, and he described the center as tired and dilapidated while pledging to make it a world-class arts venue.
Interim Kennedy Center director Richard Grenell backed the renovation plan on social media, calling a temporary closure sensible and describing the work as badly needed. Neither Grenell nor the president supplied specifics about structural deficiencies at the center.
The announcement comes after a contentious period at the institution. In December the Kennedy Center board voted to add the president’s name to the building and rename it the Trump-Kennedy Center, a move that drew criticism from Democrats who said the name change required congressional action because the center was established by Congress. High-profile performers canceled appearances after the renaming, and Trump recently hosted a premiere of the Melania Trump documentary at the venue.
Staff members said they learned of the renovation and closure plans Sunday evening from the president’s social media post. A senior staffer who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were unclear about what the announcement meant in practical terms.
Trump noted the closure is subject to approval by the center’s board. Last February he removed several board members and appointed allies who later voted to make him chair, a change that preceded the renaming. The president’s decision also follows his earlier plan to demolish the White House East Wing to build a new ballroom, a project now facing a lawsuit seeking to stop construction.
Critics reacted strongly. Jack Schlossberg, President Kennedy’s grandson and a Democratic candidate for Congress, said on social media that Trump could change the name or close the building but that efforts to preserve JFK’s legacy would continue through political action. Democracy Defenders Action and the Washington Litigation Group, which have already sued over the renaming on behalf of former board member Rep. Joyce Beatty, warned of additional legal challenges. In a joint statement the groups said the renaming was illegal and suggested the closure could be intended to avoid further controversy; they said they would consider all legal remedies.
CBS News has reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment.
Reporters Emma Nicholson and Joe Walsh contributed to this article.