Trump-Led Board Votes Again to Close Kennedy Center for Renovations

Kennedy Center votes to restore Trump’s name to venue, close for two years

Trustees condemn Kennedy Center’s move to re-add Trump’s name and shut down for extensive renovations.

Aug 13, 2026

Kennedy Center Board votes again to shut main building down — and add Trump's name back

The board voted to close the Washington, D.C., arts complex's main campus for a $250 million renovation — three months after a federal judge temporarily blocked a similar closure.

Aug 13, 2026

Trump-Led Board Votes Again to Close Kennedy Center for Renovations

The decision will be reviewed by a federal judge who previously said the board had not thoroughly evaluated the president’s plan.

Aug 13, 2026

Kennedy Center board OKs new way of adding Trump’s name to building

The Kennedy Center board voted Thursday to add President Trump’s name to the performing arts building months after a judge blocked an effort to rename the center after him, according to multiple reports. The Trump-aligned board approved an inscription underneath the Kennedy Center’s name, reading: “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump.” The new…

Aug 13, 2026

Trump-allied Kennedy Center board votes to put his name back on building

The Kennedy Center board voted Thursday to again add President Trump's name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, per multiple reports . Why it matters: The move challenges a federal judge's ruling back in May that only Congress could change the name of the performing arts venue, and that Trump's name must be removed . That process was completed in June. Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Aug 13, 2026

Board votes to close Kennedy Center during renovations

The board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted for the second time Thursday to close the building for renovations, according to the New York Times. The decision would close the Kennedy Center’s main building, while the Reach, a new building on campus, would remain open for some events and keep…

Aug 13, 2026

Kennedy Center board votes to return Trump’s name to venue’s facade

The Kennedy Center’s board of trustees on Thursday voted to put President Donald Trump’s name on the institution’s facade in Washington, D.C., testing the limits of a judge’s order on the matter. The board voted to add the inscription “Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump” below the Kennedy Center sign, according to Rep. […]

Aug 14, 2026

Kennedy Center Board votes to close facility for two years for construction

The Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees voted Thursday to close the performing arts center to proceed with a planned two-year renovation, bucking concerns from preservationists and Democrats who fought to keep the center open. The results of the vote, reported by multiple outlets, fall in line with President Donald Trump’s February decision to close the […]

Aug 13, 2026