Trump Kennedy Center Board Votes to Close for Two-Year Makeover

As expected, the Kennedy Center’s new board of directors has agreed with Donald Trump’s plan to shut down for two years after July 4. According to the Associated Press, the board also voted to replace Richard Grenell with Matt Floca as CEO and executive director. “We’re going to ensure it remains the finest performing-arts facility of its kind anywhere in the world,” Trump said at a White House press conference on Monday.

The Kennedy Center told the AP the vote was unanimous, which makes sense since it was handpicked by the president. On ex officio member, Ohio representative Joyce Beatty, did not vote despite suing for that right. A judge ruled over the weekend that she was entitled to participate in the meeting but wasn’t entitled to a vote. 

Since Trump’s takeover and eponymizing of the Kennedy Center, many acts have dropped out of performing there. Around the same time the Washington National Opera chose to leave the Center, Trump announced its renovation. “I have determined that the fastest way to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur, is to cease Entertainment Operations for an approximately two year period of time,” he wrote on Truth Social on February 1, “with a scheduled Grand Reopening that will rival and surpass anything that has taken place with respect to such a Facility before.” But don’t worry, he let the place run long enough to host the Melania premiere.