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The Kennedy Center board voted Tuesday to close the historic Washington performing arts complex after a federal judge again blocked efforts to put President Donald Trump’s name on the building, prompting Trump to threaten to halt a planned $257 million renovation unless the ruling is overturned.
The board’s decision came minutes after U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the Kennedy Center cannot add Trump’s name to its building or rename its grounds without congressional approval. The ruling marked the second time Cooper has blocked the board from altering the federally designated memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
Trump responded by saying the center would close immediately but that the renovation could not begin unless the D.C. Circuit reverses Cooper’s ruling. He said that if the appeals court rules against the board and the Supreme Court does not overturn that decision, the renovation “will not take place.”
Judge Blocks Trump Naming Plan
Cooper’s 22-page ruling cited the law establishing the Kennedy Center as a living memorial to Kennedy and his earlier decision ordering Trump’s name removed from the building.
The judge concluded that the board cannot unilaterally add a memorial honoring Trump or rename portions of the complex. The Kennedy Center board had approved a plan in August to add an inscription crediting Trump with restoring and renovating the building and to rename the plaza in his honor.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board and the plaintiff in the case, has challenged the naming effort in federal court.
Cooper left unresolved whether the board can use Trump’s name for a proposed fundraising organization, known as the Trump Kennedy Center Fund. The judge noted that the fund had not yet raised money.
Renovation Now in Doubt
The board has been preparing for a two-year closure and a major renovation as officials warn that the center faces both serious structural problems and an escalating financial crisis.
Reuters reported that the board approved a closure for renovations costing about $257 million. The center’s main building has experienced significant deterioration, including a recent ceiling collapse and other structural concerns.
Kennedy Center officials have also warned that the institution could be within weeks of bankruptcy without additional funding. Board documents have argued that Trump’s name and involvement in fundraising are critical to securing the money needed for the renovation, although earlier court proceedings questioned the evidence supporting that claim.
The D.C. Circuit previously rejected an emergency request to delay removal of Trump’s name, noting that the board had not provided specific evidence showing that donations depended on Trump’s name appearing on the building.
Trump has now explicitly linked the renovation to the outcome of the naming dispute.
Limited Programming Will Continue
The closure will not eliminate all Kennedy Center programming.
The REACH, a newer extension of the complex, is expected to remain open. The center also plans to continue supporting the National Symphony Orchestra and presenting the Kennedy Center Honors and Mark Twain Prize, with other programming taking place at outside venues.
The board has said those activities would allow it to maintain relationships with artists, donors and patrons during the planned shutdown and prepare for a potential reopening of the main building.
The center’s future programming, however, remains uncertain. Major artists and productions typically schedule performances years in advance, making a prolonged shutdown a significant challenge for rebuilding the institution’s calendar.
Kennedy Center Faces Financial and Political Uncertainty
The closure comes after months of financial strain and upheaval following Trump’s takeover of the board and his appointment as its chairman.
Ticket sales and fundraising have declined, while numerous artists have canceled performances. The institution has also lost much of its administrative staff as the new leadership reshaped its operations.
The Trump-aligned board has argued that the president is uniquely positioned to raise the money needed for the renovation and that recognizing his role on the building is necessary to secure that support.
Beatty has disputed that position and said the center is being subjected to an ultimatum tied to Trump’s name.
With the board now voting to close the facility and Trump threatening to withhold support for the renovation unless the naming decision is reversed, the Kennedy Center’s physical, financial and legal crises have become increasingly intertwined.
