Kennedy Center Board votes again to shut main building down -- and add Trump's name back

The Kennedy Center board voted again on Thursday to shut down most of the Washington, D.C. arts complex for what it describes as a two-year major renovation plan, according to a person briefed on the decision. A March vote had approved a full closure, but a federal judge temporarily blocked it, saying board members lacked “sufficient information.” In the latest vote, trustees also moved to put President Donald Trump’s name back on the center’s entry, renaming the complex “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump,” after a judge and appeals court test of related rulings. The plan calls for a $250 million project, including structural repairs, new marble floors, nearly $12 million in “acoustical improvements,” and temporary relocation of Kennedy’s eight-foot bronze bust. The main campus would reopen in summer 2028, but the board’s actions require federal judge approval.