Kennedy Center May Close Over Deficit as Trump Rescue Plan Emerges

Kennedy Center officials warn the institution faces an estimated $23 million deficit and could be unable to meet payroll and routine maintenance within weeks. A 57-page internal document issued ahead of a Tuesday board meeting warned of "certain fiscal collapse" and urged trustees to close the main building as soon as Tuesday, citing safety risks that include ceiling plaster that fell during a storm and widespread corrosion in exterior panels. The Reach expansion and some off-site programming could remain open. The board is expected to vote on closure and financial measures at a special meeting amid artist cancellations and declining ticket sales. A proposed rescue plan says President Donald Trump has offered to raise funds and oversee renovations but may require public recognition, including one of 10 possible facade inscriptions and a proposed Trump Kennedy Center Fund. Those proposals come despite a federal judge’s ruling that only Congress can change the institution’s name and ordering Trump’s name removed. Rep. Joyce Beatty and others voice continuing legal and political opposition. The Washington Post reported the internal document on a Sunday. What the board will decide Tuesday, and whether any rescue terms proceed under the court ruling, remains unresolved.