US President Donald Trump intends to transfer control of the leading theater and concert complex in Washington, D.C., the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, to Congress, according to a post by the American leader on Truth Social.
The president noted that he and his aides "will work with Congress to transfer this troubled institution" to the control of US lawmakers "so they can decide what to do with it". "I have directed the US Department of Commerce to take all necessary steps, working with Congress, to ensure the full and complete transfer of this institution to Congress, "by assigning responsibility for its operation, maintenance and management," the American leader added.
The complex will officially be named the John F. Kennedy-Trump Center for the Performing Arts in honor of the two American presidents, effective December 18, 2025. The center, which is overseen by the US government and is sometimes referred to in Washington as the "unofficial U.S. Department of Culture," was expected to close in July for renovations that will last approximately two years.
Earlier, on May 29, a court order in Washington prohibited the renaming of the Kennedy Center in honor of Trump and blocked plans for its major renovation. This was done at the request of several American historical and architectural societies. They filed a lawsuit against the center's board of directors in March. The plaintiffs allege that the defendant is attempting to act without the necessary consent of the US Congress and bypassing necessary federal reviews.
The court's ruling also stressed that "the board of trustees exceeded its authority by unilaterally naming the Kennedy Center in honor of President Trump." The document clarifies that "the name of the Kennedy Center was given by Congress and only Congress can change it." The court ordered the removal of graffiti referring to Trump painted on the building by the complex's administration within two weeks. It also effectively ordered plans for a major renovation of the center to be finalized.
Trump expressed outrage at the court's ruling, stressing that the renovation would make the center "the finest institution of its kind in the world." Trump claimed that "radical left Democrats are more concerned with opposing him," “than to save a dying performing arts center“.