The board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted unanimously to close the institution for a two-year renovation project starting in July 2026. President Trump, serving as board chairman, warned the building was in "very bad shape" and had been on "the verge of collapse" before his takeover. The decision comes after Trump replaced board leadership with allies and made the center a focus of his second term.

The renovation will cost $257 million from Congress, with plans for structural work, new theater seating, and marble installations. The closure will affect approximately 75-175 of the center's 300 employees. Representative Joyce Beatty filed a lawsuit challenging the board's authority to close the center without consulting Congress, which established the institution in 1958 as a living memorial to President Kennedy.

Leadership at the center is changing as Trump's handpicked leader Richard Grenell departs. Vice President for facilities operations Matt Floca will take over as chief operating officer and executive director. The renovation marks a significant shift for the institution, transforming its focus from presenting arts and culture to overseeing a major construction project amid ongoing legal challenges and public controversy.