John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Rule Changes

As of September 2026: Main building shut suddenly Sept. 16 citing structural risks; board voted Sept. 15 to close for two years; Judge Cooper on Sept. 17 ordered 30 days' notice before any demolition or major physical changes; the center appealed the name ruling

A federal judge on Sept. 15 again blocked the Kennedy Center's Trump-appointed board from putting the president's name on the building or naming the grounds after him. "Simply put, Defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress's blessing," Judge Christopher Cooper wrote.

Updated Sep 18