The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is once again at the center of a political and cultural fight, as President Donald Trump continues efforts to reshape the iconic Washington DC institution.
Last month, the Kennedy Center's board voted to again put Trump's name on the building and rename its grounds the “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.” But the move remains tied up in court
and has not taken effect.The board's decision came despite a federal judge previously ruling that the center's official name cannot be changed without Congress. Government lawyers argue the new signage would recognize Trump's role in renovating the building rather than formally renaming it.
The renovation plans have also taken a more dramatic turn. In a court
filing last month, the Trump administration warned that the Kennedy Center could eventually face demolition if critical repairs aren't completed. The filing suggested replacing it with an outdoor amphitheater, though administration officials have downplayed the idea as a present plan.
The Kennedy Center's board voted again last month to close the facility for two years as part of renovations that are expected to exceed $250 million.
Meanwhile, crews began removing “Blue,” a towering blue sculpture by artist Joel Shapiro, from the Kennedy Center's campus Wednesday. The sculpture was installed in 2019 and had become a recognizable part of the Kennedy Center grounds.
The removal has drawn criticism from artists and activists who view it as another example of the Trump administration reshaping the Kennedy Center's artistic identity. Hands Off the Arts, a group of artists, former employees and patrons opposed to Trump's changes of the Kennedy Center, condemned the removal and accused the administration of trying to erase art it dislikes.
And then there are the weeping willows. Photos of the trees being gone have recently circulated online, but that isn't a new development: the Kennedy Center removed the trees in October 2025 after determining that many had decayed and posed a safety hazard.
Mike Stunson is a Washington DC-based reporter writing all things trending, breaking and city-related for USA TODAY's Washington DC Metro Connect Team.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What’s happening at the Kennedy Center? The latest changes, explained
