The Kennedy Center will be closed for two years, beginning July 4, wrote President Trump in a Truth social post February 1. The reason, wrote Trump: renovations. "I have determined that The Trump Kennedy Center, if temporarily closed for Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding, can be, without question, the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World. In other words, if we don’t close, the quality of Construction will not be nearly as good."

It's not immediately clear what Trump intends to do or what the problem areas are with the existing building; his note pointed to both renovations of the existing structure and "Construction of the new and spectacular Entertainment Complex." Playbill has reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment.

Through Trump did not mention it, this announcement comes after a wave of artists have canceled their engagements at the Washington, D.C. institution—a result of his takeover of the institution last year and installing himself as chairman of its board. Most recently, composer Philip Glass canceled the world premiere of his Symphony No. 15 (a tribute to Abraham Lincoln). The Washington National Opera have announced they will no longer perform at the Center. Hamilton also canceled its touring engagement at the Center.

As a result, ticket sales at the Center have fallen, and the recent Kennedy Center Honors, which Trump hosted, garnered its lowest ratings on CBS ever. Ever since he's taken over the Kennedy Center, Trump has been determined to remake the institution in his image. The board has even renamed it the Trump Kennedy Center—though Trump's name is now on the Center's walls, changing it officially requires Congressional approval. 

Trump had previously accused the Kennedy Center's former leadership of mismanaging funds and letting the building fall into disrepair; he's since secured $257 million from Congress for capital repairs and other expenses in last year's One Big Beautiful Bill—much more than the institution had previously received. 

Kennedy Center former president Deborah Rutter, who Trump fired and replaced with Richard Grenell, denied the allegations. In an interview last year, she said: "Perhaps those now in charge are facing significant financial gaps and are seeking to attribute them to past management, which would include the Board of Trustees, some of whom were appointed by President Trump, in his previous term. This malicious attempt to distort the facts, which were consistently, transparently, and readily available in professionally audited financial reports, recklessly disregards the truth."