Kennedy Center warns of possible closure amid financial crisis and naming dispute
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The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts says it may face bankruptcy and could close by mid-September unless a proposed name change involving President Donald Trump is approved.
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has alerted its board that the venue could run out of cash and be forced to shut down as early as Sept. 15. A 57-page draft resolution circulated to trustees outlines a projected inability to pay staff and cover maintenance costs within weeks, and describes the situation as a risk of bankruptcy.
The document proposes adding President Donald Trump’s name to the building’s front signage as a condition for securing the necessary funding. It states that the board believes recognition of Trump is needed for him to provide “fundamental oversight” of a planned $250 million renovation and to lead a fiscal rescue of the center.
Trump previously appointed himself chair of the center during his second term, and a 2025 board vote to add his name was later overturned by a federal judge. A subsequent board vote in August again called for restoring his name while the center prepares for a two-year renovation, but the signage change remains blocked by court rulings that the center’s name cannot be altered without congressional approval.
The Washington Post and The New York Times reported on the draft resolution, and USA TODAY sought comment from the Kennedy Center without receiving a response.