The Board of Trustees for the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts announced Friday that the complex will immediately transition into a “deep renovation phase,” effectively closing the doors of the national landmark for at least the next 24 months.

The announcement, which cites the sudden discovery of “significant structural and aesthetic deficiencies,” comes less than 48 hours after the venue’s final scheduled performer, Lee Greenwood, withdrew from his 365-night “God Bless the USA” residency. With no remaining artists on the 2026 calendar, the Board determined that an immediate, total shutdown was the most efficient path forward for the facility.

“The Center has reached a point where the physical environment simply does not meet the standards of the Trump-Kennedy vision,” said a spokesperson for the Board. “We have identified critical issues with the marble acoustics and the presidential suite’s gold-leaf density that can only be addressed by a complete, two-year cessation of all public activity. This timeline is purely architectural and is in no way influenced by the current availability of world-class talent.”

The closure follows a year of mounting logistical challenges for the venue. Since the renaming of the facility and the subsequent withdrawal of the Washington National Opera, the National Symphony Orchestra, and various Broadway touring productions, the Center has struggled with a “surplus of stage time.” Administrators noted that the lack of foot traffic and performance-related wear and tear has provided a “once-in-a-generation window” to replace the theater's seating with proprietary “Executive Class” velvet and upgrade the lobby’s digital displays.

The Center’s leadership dismissed suggestions from former patrons and industry analysts that the two-year hiatus was designed to mask a total lack of booking interest.

“To suggest that we are closing because we have no performers is a fundamental misunderstanding of our success,” the statement continued. “We are choosing to focus on the infrastructure of excellence. When we reopen in 2028, the Trump Kennedy Center will be a pristine, silent masterpiece of American architecture, ready for any artist who meets our specific criteria for excellence.”

During the renovation period, the “Greenwood Gold” voucher program will remain active, though ticket holders are advised that the vouchers will now serve as “Founding Member” credits for the 2028 Grand Reopening Gala.