Kennedy Center Board Approves Two‑Year Shutdown Amid Trump Name Fight

UPDATE - follow-up to Trump says Kennedy Center to close as court rules his name must stay off building: The Kennedy Center’s governing board voted to shut the performing‑arts venue for two years, coinciding with a federal judge’s order blocking the addition of former President Donald Trump’s name to the building’s façade. The board, chaired by Trump and composed of his cabinet members and political allies, had earlier approved an August resolution to inscribe “Renovated and Restored by President Donald J. Trump” on the centre. In May, the same judge ordered the removal of Trump’s name and barred a temporary closure that had been planned for renovation work. The judge’s ruling also prevented the centre from reinstating the Trump‑related inscription. By voting to close the centre for a two‑year period, the board aims to pursue extensive renovations while navigating the legal dispute over the name plaque. The decision marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the Trump‑aligned board and the court’s directive to keep the former president’s name off the Kennedy Center’s exterior.