"On Sunday evening, as stars walked the red carpet at the Grammy Awards, President Trump announced without warning his intention to close and renovate the Kennedy Center. His statement contained scant details, though it did mention that the venue will shut on July 4, "in honor of the 250th Anniversary of our Country," and reopen in roughly two years-that is, while he's still in the White House."
"Trump's decision could easily be read as one of petulance or spite: Since he installed himself as the Kennedy Center's chairman, replaced its president and some board members with ones loyal to him, and added his name to its facade, ticket sales have tanked, and enough artists canceled or turned down engagements that the theater has no 2026-27 season. Even "the President's Own" U.S. Marine Band dropped a performance there."
President Trump declared the Kennedy Center will close on July 4 for roughly two years for renovation and reopening. He described the venue as a "tired, broken, and dilapidated Center" despite a 2019 expansion of performance space. He installed allies on the center's board, replaced leadership, and added his name to the facade, coinciding with falling ticket sales and multiple artist cancellations. The closure has led to canceled seasons and pulled commissions, including Philip Glass's canceled premiere, and raises the risk that the rebuilt complex will not preserve John F. Kennedy's cultural legacy or the value of the arts.
Read at The Atlantic
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