Kennedy Center says it's on the brink of bankruptcy, might close as early as Tuesday

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, which NPR has obtained, 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 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.

On Monday, Beatty submitted to the court two proposed resolutions from the board's packet. In these documents, the board calls the center "unsafe for continued occupancy." Beatty claims that the construction consultants brought in by the board have never said any such thing. The second resolution states: "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."

In the meantime, most of the center's staff have either been fired or departed, but those who remain are largely loyal to President Trump. Most of the Kennedy Center board was handpicked by the president, who now serves as its chairman.

On Sept. 5, the center's administration said that a portion of the ceiling in the main building's grand foyer collapsed due to rain damage. The Kennedy Center's argument regarding the institution's financials are that the center is in dire shape, and that President Trump is the only person who can fundraise at such a massive scale or successfully oversee such an extensive renovation project – and as such, he deserves his name to be on the building, just like how big donors at hospitals and universities, for example, get to see their names on prominent display.

The Kennedy Center did not respond to NPR's requests for comment on Monday.