Kennedy Center board moves forward with a two-year closure to allow for renovations, AP sources say

The Kennedy Center will move forward with a two-year closure of the sprawling performing arts venue to allow for substantial renovation work, while some outdoor programming may continue. That’s according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity before an official announcement. The decision made Thursday comes after a federal judge blocked an earlier move for a two-year closure.

Ahead of the meeting, the Kennedy Center’s management said it would present the board with three approaches for consideration.Also, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role, will leave the Trump administration at the end of the month to spend more time with her young family. Leavitt, 28, called it a “bittersweet decision” in a social media post Wednesday shortly after President Donald Trump announced she would be stepping down.Here's the latest:Kennedy Center board votes to add Trump’s name to the building’s facadeThe Kennedy Center board has voted to add President Donald Trump’s name to the facade of the performing arts building. Joyce Beatty and lawyers.The move Thursday comes after the board decided to move forward with a two-year closure to allow for substantial renovation work, while some outdoor programming may continue.Kennedy Center board moves forward with a 2-year closure to allow for renovations, AP sources sayThe Kennedy Center will move forward with a two-year closure of the sprawling performing arts venue to allow for substantial renovation work, while some outdoor programming may continue, according to two people familiar with the matter.The decision, made Thursday by a board largely composed of President Donald Trump’s allies, amounts to a doubling down on the institution’s initial plan so changes could be made that leaders said were necessary for safety.

Critics have raised concerns that Trump could move ahead with more drastic renovations as part of his second-term effort to remodel Washington in his image.The two people were not authorized to publicly discuss the board’s action before an official announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in May blocked a closure set to take effect July 5. It was not immediately clear whether the board’s move would prompt another round of legal challenges.

District Judge Christopher Cooper, who ruled in May that letters affixed to the building and spelling out the Republican president’s name were added illegally. The exterior of the Kennedy Center is seen, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) The exterior of the Kennedy Center is seen, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Washington.

(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kennedy Center will move forward with a two-year closure of the sprawling performing arts venue to allow for substantial renovation work, while some outdoor programming may continue, according to two people familiar with the matter. The decision, made Thursday by a board largely composed of President Donald Trump’s allies, amounts to a doubling down of the institution’s initial plan so changes could be made that leaders said were necessary for safety. The two people were not authorized to publicly discuss the board’s action before an official announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.

District Judge Christopher Cooper in May blocked a closure that was set to take effect July 5. Cooper had ruled that the board’s March 16 vote backing the move appeared “ill-informed and seemingly preordained.” In moving forward, board members may face pressure to prove that they have thoroughly considered their options. The Kennedy Center’s management had said before the meeting that it would present the board with three approaches for consideration, including a complete closure or a partial closure that would allow “some continued public access and limited programming in spaces unaffected” by the work.