President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he has determined that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., should temporarily close for approximately two years.
Trump, whowrote on Truth Socialthat the decision is "totally subject" to approval by hishandpicked board, said the center will close on July 4th, and said "financing is completed, and fully in place." Trump did not elaborate on where the funding came from. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding questions about the funding.
Trump added that the decision was made based on a review that involved, "Contractors, Musical Experts, Art Institutions, and other Advisors and Consultants," who were weighing construction with closure and re-opening or partial construction while entertainment operations continued.
A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Trump's announcement, what the center's board thinks of the issue, or what would happen to the center's existing programming.
Trump said the closure will "produce a much faster and higher quality result," and said that it can be "the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind," and that there will be a "Grand Reopening" following the renovation.
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He called the Kennedy Center — where thepremiere of first lady Melania Trump's documentarywas held last week — "tired, broken, and dilapidated," adding that it "has been in bad condition, both financially and structurally for many years."
Trump has taken a special interest in the Kennedy Center since returning to office last year. He replaced the center's board with a handpicked set of members who named him chair, and changed programming at the center, including removing Pride events.
Late last year, the board moved to rename the center to include Trump's name. It was thenaffixed to the facade— before former President John F. Kennedy's name — a day later.
The renaming drew criticism from Kennedy family members and from members of Congress. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, who sits on the board as an ex officio member,sued the administrationfor changing the center's name, claiming that it is not a lawful move as the center was established by legislation.
Since the renaming, a flurry of artists havecanceled their appearancesat the center, including the composer of the hit musical "Wicked," Stephen Schwartz, who dropped out fromhosting a galafor the Washington National Opera. The opera hassince left the center, where it had performed since 1971.
