Kennedy Center Faces 2-Year Closure as Trump Overhaul Leaves Venue in Disrepair
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 27
Kennedy Center Faces 2-Year Closure as Trump Overhaul Leaves Venue in Disrepair
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 27
Summary
A final decision is due in August on whether the Kennedy Center will shut for what Trump calls a two-year renovation, with even longtime volunteer guides unsure whether the doors will soon be locked.
Empty spaces and neglect now mark the venue: the Opera House has no opera, its orchestra pit is strewn with trash, terrace flower beds are wilting, and artwork has disappeared from corridors and lounges.
Trump, in his second term, gutted the center’s leadership, purged programming and installed a handpicked board that had his name drilled into the building front, driving the institution’s rapid decline.
Sandy Weiswasser, 87, who has led free tours for 18 years, still reports every Monday despite sparse attendance, underscoring how sharply the once-crowded cultural landmark has deteriorated.