Trump to close Kennedy Center for renovations amid backlash from performers

US president says the arts analyzable volition adjacent for 2 years for reconstruction starting successful July.

United States President Donald Trump has announced plans to adjacent the John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts for 2 years for renovations starting successful July.

Trump’s announcement connected Sunday follows a question of cancellations by starring performers, musicians and groups since the president ousted the erstwhile enactment and added his name to the building.

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Trump made nary notation successful his station of the caller cancellations.

“I person determined that the fastest mode to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur, is to cease Entertainment Operations for an astir 2 twelvemonth play of time,” helium said successful a station connected his Truth Social platform.

“The impermanent closure volition nutrient a overmuch faster and higher prime result!”

The closure volition commencement connected July 4, to coincide with the 250th Independence Day celebration.

The decision, Trump said, volition beryllium taxable to support of the board, which helium handpicked upon taking implicit arsenic chairman.

The president added that the facility’s assorted amusement events – concerts, operas, musicals, ballet performances, and interactive arts – would impede and dilatory the operation and renovation operations, and that a afloat impermanent closure would beryllium necessary.

“The Trump Kennedy Center, if temporarily closed for Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding, tin be, without question, the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anyplace successful the World,” helium said.

“America volition beryllium precise arrogant of its caller and beauteous Landmark for galore generations to come.”

There was nary contiguous remark from the Kennedy Center.

The analyzable began arsenic a nationalist taste centre, but was renamed by Congress arsenic a “living memorial” to erstwhile President John F Kennedy successful 1964, successful the aftermath of his assassination.

Opened successful 1971, it operates year-round arsenic a nationalist showcase for the arts, including the National Symphony Orchestra.

After Trump took implicit arsenic president of the centre’s board, respective entertainers and performers withdrew their performances successful protestation of the president’s policies.

Among them were the producers of the award-winning philharmonic Hamilton, and planetary operatic soprano Renee Fleming.

The Washington National Opera precocious announced that it would permission the Kennedy Center, its location since the centre’s opening.

Renowned composer Philip Glass besides announced connected Wednesday the withdrawal of a symphony orchestra show for Abraham Lincoln, saying that “the values” of the centre “today” are successful “direct conflict” with the connection of his piece.

Trump had criticised immoderate of the programmes of the erstwhile non-partisan centre arsenic excessively “woke”.

In caller days, the Kennedy Center hosted the premiere of First Lady Melania Trump’s documentary, which saw a grounds play astatine the container office, but drew mostly antagonistic reviews from movie critics.

The grade of the “complete rebuilding” mentioned by Trump is unclear, but helium has described the operation arsenic dilapidated and needing a facelift.

In a station connected X, Maria Kennedy Shriver, a niece of the slain erstwhile president, criticised Trump’s determination without naming him. She suggested that the closure and renovation were made to distract Americans, arsenic “no 1 wants to execute determination immoderate longer”.

Trump’s rebuilding plans for the centre travel a bid of measures to reshape US humanities and taste institutions.

He demolished the East Wing of the White House and launched a monolithic $400m ballroom project, is actively pursuing the gathering of a triumphal arch connected the different broadside Arlington Bridge from the Lincoln Memorial, and has plans for the Washington Dulles planetary airport.