Post Reports: “A Surprise Kennedy Center Makeover”

Date: February 3, 2026
Host: Martine Powers
Guest: Travis Andrews, Washington Post Style Reporter

Overview

This episode explores President Donald Trump’s dramatic overhaul of Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center—now renamed the Trump Kennedy Center. Host Martine Powers invites style reporter Travis Andrews to break down Trump's motivations, the controversial shutdown and planned renovations, ongoing artist boycotts, and what these developments mean for both American arts and cultural politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Trump’s Vision for the Kennedy Center

• Announcement Details

  • Trump has criticized the Kennedy Center for being “too woke,” replaced its leadership, put his own name on the building, and announced a two-year closure for renovations.
  • [01:18] Martine Powers asks, “What exactly are Trump's plans for this Kennedy Center renovation?”
  • [01:25] Travis Andrews: “That’s a wonderful question, and it’s one I wish we had the answer to.”
    • Trump claims disrepair (marble, rats, elevators, column color) but concrete renovation plans remain vague.

• Direct Quotes from Trump

  • [02:02] Trump (audio clip): “We'll close it on July 4th in order to do something great for America... We're going to build it and we'll do it right. We’re using the highest grade marbles, the highest grade everything. It'll be brand new.”
  • [02:25] Trump: “I’m not ripping it down. I'll be using the steel... some of the marble comes down, which suggests to some degree that he's gonna tear a lot of it down.” (as interpreted by Andrews)

• Element of Surprise

  • [03:16] Martine Powers and Andrews discuss that even Trump’s own appointees and board appeared blindsided by his Truth Social announcement.
    • Leadership, including Rick Grenell (president of the Kennedy Center), only learned after the public.

• Question of Power

  • [03:42] Martine: “Can Trump... decree by Truth Social that he’s gonna conduct a multimillion dollar renovation?”
  • [03:59] Andrews clarifies: Trump stated the board’s approval is technically needed, but it appears ceremonial, given the board’s loyalty.

Financial Dimensions & Irony

• Cost of Renovation
  • [04:36] Andrews: Trump claims a $200M budget, close to the $257M appropriated by Congress last year—far more than the usual $45M annually.
  • [05:40] "Now taxpayer money will go to essentially closing the place for two years,” noting the irony that Trump’s leadership criticized prior management for supposedly wasting public funds on programming, which was never funded by these Congressional allocations.

Artist Boycotts and Institution in Crisis

• Wave of Cancellations

  • [06:04] A string of prominent artists (Issa Rae, “Hamilton,” Washington National Opera, composer Philip Glass) have canceled or withdrawn, many in reaction to Trump’s takeover and renaming of the building.
  • [06:56] Andrews: The latter “wave... sparked an entire new wave of cancellations, including Philip Glass... it really felt like there wasn’t anyone left on the stages for the most part.”
  • [07:58] Financial distress: Ticket sales, subscriptions, and attendance are “way down” with theaters “half empty, if not more.”
    • [08:34] New leadership’s “common sense programming” plan—aiming for profit from all shows—has not materialized; the business model appears unsustainable.

• Martine’s Notable Framing

  • [09:44] Powers: “Maybe this is a good time for a renovation... maybe this is actually like a sensible time to do that if nobody wanted to go to the place anyways...”
  • [10:18] Andrews calls it a “self-fulfilling prophecy,” noting that the decline was caused by the same leadership now pursuing the renovation.

The Kennedy Center’s Deeper Significance

• Why the Kennedy Center Matters
  • [12:53] Andrews: “It is America's cultural center. It was... meant to be a place in Washington that's always been bipartisan, that can bring people together to enjoy the arts... all Americans could go and see the arts.”
  • The institution’s politicization is the opposite of its original intent as a memorial and national arts hub.

Trump’s Motivation and the Politics of Culture

• Trump’s Changing Approach

  • [13:50] Powers notes Trump’s first term approach was to distance himself from the Kennedy Center during artistic boycotts.
  • [14:27] Andrews theorizes: Trump seeks retribution for being “spurned,” especially after the Kennedy Center Honors controversy. His current fixation is “trying to get retribution or revenge,” turning his attention to remake the Center as a symbol of power.

• The Power of Symbols

  • [16:40] Andrews: “It's a symbol. I think, to some degree, this is an arts institution [that] should just be completely outside of the line of fire and somehow just ended up right as a target...”
  • People see the closure of an arts institution as an easier place to focus their concerns and anger compared to heavier national crises.

The Future: Risk, Fear, and Uncertainty

• Risks of the Renovation
  • [18:28] Andrews: Real concern exists about the future—“two years does seem like a short period of time for such a large building, especially if it’s being ripped down to its steel infrastructure.”
    • Staff layoffs loom; fear is if the project stalls (“the president leaves office” with it unfinished), Washington could be left with “no art center, no staff.”
    • “I think that’s the biggest fear... what happens if we don't finish this project?”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [01:25] Travis Andrews: “That’s a wonderful question, and it’s one I wish we had the answer to.”
• [02:02] President Trump: “We're going to build it and we'll do it right. We’re using the highest grade marbles, the highest grade everything. It’ll be brand new.”
• [06:56] Travis Andrews (on the wave of cancellations): “There was no straw left on the camel’s back, so it just kind of broke the camel... after this wave, there just didn’t seem to be anyone left willing to perform there.”
• [10:18] Travis Andrews: “The only reason people don't want to go there is because of the same people who now want to renovate it. Kind of a self fulfilling prophecy to a degree.”
• [12:53] Travis Andrews: “It is America’s cultural center... a place that all Americans could go and see the arts.”
• [18:28] Travis Andrews: “One thing people are really scared about is...presumably your staff is no longer employed, so you don’t have a staff anymore. If you don’t get the building built...then where are we left?”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:01] — Introduction and summary of Trump’s actions at the Kennedy Center
• [01:18] — Trump’s stated plans and uncertain details
• [03:16] — The surprise and confusion after Trump’s closure announcement
• [04:36] — Discussion of renovation costs and funding sources
• [06:04] — Impact on artists and major program cancellations
• [07:58] — The direct financial implications: ticket sales and programming challenges
• [10:18] — The “self-fulfilling prophecy” of renovation amid boycotts
• [12:53] — Why the Kennedy Center is significant, historically and culturally
• [14:27] — Trump’s motivations and shift since his first presidency
• [16:40] — The symbolic meaning behind the struggle over the Center
• [18:28] — Fears about the future—renovation timeline, job losses, potential for permanent closure

Conclusion

The episode offers a clear-eyed look at how politics, personal vendettas, and culture wars have converged at one of America’s most iconic arts institutions. Trump’s surprise closure and costly renovation plans have left artists, audiences, and staff in limbo, with deep concerns about whether the Kennedy Center’s legacy will survive this latest, deeply politicized chapter.