Trump says Kennedy Center to close for two-year renovation (Full Transcript)

Trump announces a July 4 closure of the Kennedy Center for two years of renovations, pending board approval, amid artist backlash and undisclosed costs.

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[00:00:00] Speaker 1: President Donald Trump announced that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will close July 4th for two years of extensive renovations. Trump, who is the chair of the center's board, said he determined the closure will produce a much faster and higher quality result. This comes weeks after his handpicked board of trustees added his name to the building, leading to a wave of artists canceling performances and cutting ties with the institution. Trump said the move is pending approval by the center's board. He said funding was in place for the project, but he did not give details, including the expected cost.

Summary

President Donald Trump announced that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will close on July 4 for two years to undergo extensive renovations. Trump, serving as chair of the center’s board, said a full closure would speed the work and improve quality. The announcement follows controversy after a handpicked board added Trump’s name to the building, prompting some artists to cancel performances and sever ties. Trump said the closure plan is pending board approval and that funding is secured, but he provided no cost details.

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Title

Trump Announces Two-Year Kennedy Center Closure for Renovations

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Keywords

Donald Trump Remove

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Kennedy Center Remove

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renovations Remove

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closure

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board approval Remove

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performing arts Remove

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artists cancellations Remove

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naming controversy Remove

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Washington D.C. Remove

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public funding Remove

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Key Takeaways

The Kennedy Center is slated to close July 4 for a two-year renovation period.
Trump argues a full closure will accelerate the timeline and improve renovation quality.
The plan is pending approval by the Kennedy Center board.
The announcement comes amid backlash after Trump’s name was added to the building.
Artists have canceled performances and cut ties in response to the naming decision.
Funding is claimed to be in place, but cost and details were not disclosed.

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Sentiments

Neutral: The tone is primarily factual and reportorial, describing an announced closure, governance actions, and reactions from artists without overtly positive or negative language, though it notes controversy and cancellations.

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