By Adeola AdeosunShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberPresident Donald Trump announced Sunday that the Kennedy Center will close on July 4, 2026, for approximately two years of construction and renovation.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said the closure will allow for "complete rebuilding" to transform the facility into what he described as "the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World." The decision follows a one-year review involving contractors, musical experts, art institutions, and consultants who evaluated whether to pursue construction while maintaining operations or temporarily shutting down.
Trump indicated the decision is "totally subject to Board approval" and that financing is "completed, and fully in place."
The announcement comes as Trump has renamed the facility "The Trump Kennedy Center," marking a controversial rebranding of the historic institution. The timing of the closure—beginning on America's 250th birthday—carries symbolic significance for the administration's vision of national renewal.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
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