Kennedy Center says it's on the brink of bankruptcy, might close as early as Tuesday
In two board resolutions made public Monday, the arts institution says it is in a dire financial and physical state — and that only President Trump can "rescue" it. (Image credit: Alex Wroblewski)
In two board resolutions made public Monday, the arts institution says it is in a dire financial and physical state — and that only President Trump can "rescue" it.
(Image credit: Alex Wroblewski)
Workers build scaffolding on The Kennedy Center on June 12, 2026. Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
On Sunday evening, the Washington Post reported that the Kennedy Center administration told its board that the arts institution is on the brink of bankruptcy — and that it might be forced to close as soon as Tuesday. Both the majority of the center's administration and board were selected by President Trump.
The document detailing this plan, whose existence NPR has confirmed, was issued ahead of a board meeting slated for Tuesday. That's the same day as a status hearing set by Judge Christopher Cooper, who is overseeing the federal lawsuit brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty to stop the renaming of the center to honor Trump last December. The Democrat from Ohio is an ex-officio member of the Kennedy Center board.
The status meeting previously scheduled by Cooper is essentially to set more deadlines and court dates. But critics of the Kennedy Center's administration said the timing of this report may not be a coincidence.
How would a Kennedy Center shutdown impact artists and audiences?
On Monday, Beatty filed two board resolutions with the court. One says it is planning to shut down the center immediately, calling it unsafe for continued occupancy. In a document accompanying the board resolutions, however, Beatty claims that the construction consultants the board brought in have never said any such thing. The board also says the Kennedy Center is in such a "precarious fiscal position that it will not be able to support its payroll obligations, nor routine maintenance contracts within a matter of weeks."