The Kennedy Center's board of trustees voted Tuesday to shut down the venue's main building immediately for renovations, a move driven by the belief that only President Trump can raise the funds to save it, according to a source familiar with the decision.
The vote follows dire warnings from officials that the performing arts center is facing "certain fiscal collapse within weeks." A draft resolution described the institution as on the verge of bankruptcy, unable to meet payroll or maintain routine contracts. The board, which Trump reshaped last February by firing half its members and appointing 14 new trustees, also declared the building "unsafe for continued occupancy," citing a recent water leak that caused a partial ceiling collapse in the grand foyer.
Just before the vote, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper again blocked the board's attempt to add Trump's name to the building's facade—the second time he found such action likely unlawful. In his ruling, Cooper wrote: "Simply put, Defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress's blessing. The board resolution bucks a federal court order and a statute Congress enacted."
The board's resolutions explicitly tie the renovation to Trump's fundraising prowess, stating that without "appropriate recognition" of the president, it is unlikely he will lead the fiscal rescue and oversee the renovation. This comes as the board weighed emergency closure amid the ongoing dispute over the name.
Justice Department attorneys, representing the Kennedy Center in the legal challenge, told Cooper last month that the center is in "structural and financial disarray," arguing that further court intervention would impede the renovation project. Cooper rejected that characterization as "not quite fair," noting that his initial order in late May allowed "necessary maintenance and repair work" to proceed.
The controversy over Trump's name began earlier this year when the board voted in December 2025 to add it, sparking outrage and a lawsuit from Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex officio board member. In June, a ruling forced the removal of the name, but the board voted again in August to re-add it in the form of two inscriptions. That decision led to Cooper's latest injunction, which again halted the addition.
The board's resolution portrays Trump as the center's only savior, a stance that has drawn criticism from Democrats and arts advocates who see it as a politically motivated move to pressure the president into action. The closure of the main building—a landmark on the Potomac—will disrupt performances and events, though the board has not provided a timeline for reopening.
As the legal battle continues, the Kennedy Center's future remains uncertain, with the board betting on Trump's willingness to step in. Meanwhile, the building's iconic facade remains without the president's name, pending further court action.
