Trump says he won’t tear down the Kennedy Center arts venue but it needs to be closed for repairs
February 2, 2026
President Donald Trump says he won’t tear down the Kennedy Center. Asked about his Sunday announcement that he wants to close the center for two years, Trump said Monday that the building needs repairs and the work can’t be done while patrons are coming and going from shows and other performances. The Republican president said the work would cost about $200 million, including installation of the “highest-grade marble, the highest-grade everything.” Such a project would mark Trump’s latest effort to put his stamp on a cultural institution that serves as living memorial to Democratic President John F. Kennedy.