Kennedy Center board moves forward with a two-year closure to allow for renovations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kennedy Center will move forward with a two-year closure of the sprawling performing arts venue to allow for substantial renovation work, while some outdoor programming may continue, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Board member Paolo Zampolli confirmed the vote for the two-year closure to PBS News' Liz Landers.

The decision, made Thursday by a board largely composed of President Donald Trump's allies, amounts to a doubling down of the institution's initial plan so changes could be made that leaders said were necessary for safety. Critics have raised concerns that Trump could move ahead with more drastic renovations as part of his second-term effort to remodel Washington in his image.

The two people were not authorized to publicly discuss the board's action before an official announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in May blocked a closure that was set to take effect July 5. It was not immediately clear whether the board's move would prompt another round of legal challenges. Cooper had ruled that the board's March 16 vote backing the move appeared "ill-informed and seemingly preordained."

In moving forward, board members may face pressure to prove that they have thoroughly considered their options.

The Kennedy Center's management had said before the meeting that it would present the board with three approaches for consideration, including a complete closure or a partial closure that would allow "some continued public access and limited programming in spaces unaffected" by the work. An outdoor area at the institution, known as the Reach, could host some events during the closure.

A third option would have allowed "a highly limited series of phased closures to address only the Center's most serious infrastructure needs while scheduling and maintaining a full slate of programming."

During Trump's second term, the Kennedy Center has become an unlikely — and highly visible — metaphor of presidential power. While he largely ignored the institution during his first round in Washington, Trump moved quickly to oust the institution's leadership when he returned to office in January 2025 and replaced it with a board of trustees that named him chairman. His name was quickly added to the building , a move that Cooper also declared illegal.

The Republican's name came down from the building in June but the area where it once stood is now covered by a massive tarp. Cooper has asked the Kennedy Center for updates on how long the tarp is expected to stay in place.

The Kennedy Center moves are part of Trump's broader push to reshape the physical landscape of the nation's capital in ways that have few modern parallels.

He demolished the East Wing of the White House and is building a controversial ballroom in its place, though an appeals court ruled last week that construction should stop because Congress didn't approve the project. Trump has said he will take the case to the Supreme Court.

His remodel of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has also stumbled after algae returned and U.S.