President Trump said the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will close after July 4 for roughly two years for extensive renovations, calling the facility “in very bad shape,” “rundown” and “sort of dangerous,” and adding that “things fall out.” He estimated the work would cost about $200 million and said the center would be “brand new and really beautiful.”
In comments on Truth Social and to reporters, Trump at times described an ambitious overhaul that sounded like gutting the building down to its steel frame. CBS News reported Trump later told a reporter he was “not ripping it down. I’ll be using the steel. We’re using some of the marble, and some of the marble comes down.” White House and Kennedy Center sources subsequently clarified the plan is not an outright demolition, and CBS News said no formal request or estimate for demolishing the building to its beams had been made.
Kennedy Center officials and other sources say planned work will include a new roof and replacement of marble and grout while preserving the basic layout of the main hall and the center’s three theaters. The Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations told CBS News the institution has about $250 million in deferred maintenance needs. The center’s budget proposal filed with Congress last year listed ongoing projects such as roof repairs and concert-hall seating replacement, indicating many renovation needs were identified before the president’s announcement.
The announcement followed public cancellations by several high-profile artists and organizations protesting the Trump administration, including the Washington National Opera and composer Philip Glass. Those cancellations occurred before the White House statement and the president’s remarks about renovations.
Beyond repairs, Trump signaled a broader, symbolic vision for the site, saying he wanted to leave a significant “mark” on the city and proposing a very large arch. CBS News reported Trump suggested an arch about 250 feet tall, which could conflict with flight paths into Reagan National Airport (DCA). The White House described the president’s idea as “bold” and intended to be “imprinted upon the fabric of America,” but no full plans or formal proposals for an arch have been released.
CBS News noted that while the president’s language suggested a sweeping transformation, Kennedy Center planning and budget documents reflect a mix of deferred maintenance projects already on the center’s agenda. More details about the scope of changes and the approval process for monuments and major alterations in Washington were reported to be forthcoming.