The Kennedy Center's board of directors voted on Monday to shut down operations for two years as President Trump calls for a major overhaul of the D.C.-based performing arts institution.

It's the latest move by Mr. Trump to put his stamp on the Kennedy Center, drawing stiff criticism from congressional Democrats and performing artists. The center's board — which includes many members handpicked by Mr. Trump — voted last year to rename it the Trump-Kennedy Center, leading to a wave of performance cancellations.

Mr. Trump has cited the need for repairs as a reason for the closure, which will take effect after this summer's July 4 celebrations.

"We're going to ensure it remains the finest performing arts facility of its kind anywhere in the world," the president told reporters at the White House before the board met Monday.

The board also voted to install Matt Floca as CEO and executive director, replacing Trump ally Richard Grenell, who oversaw far-reaching changes at the venue. Mr. Trump praised Grenell on Monday, saying he had been a longtime friend, and wished Floca "good luck with everything."

The Kennedy Center said the vote was unanimous, though Rep. Joyce Beatty didn't cast a vote. The Ohio Democrat is an ex officio member of the board and sued to preclude the Trump administration from excluding her from Monday's meeting. Over the weekend, a federal judge ruled she was entitled to participate in the meeting but didn't require that the board allow her to vote.

Shortly after returning to office last year, Mr. Trump ousted the center's previous leadership and replaced it with a hand-picked board of trustees that named him chairman. He also brought in Grenell, who served in a variety of capacities during Trump's first term.

The center's lineup has since included more Trump-friendly programming, including serving as the venue for the premiere of first lady Melania Trump's documentary, "Melania." The board also announced it had renamed the facility to include Mr. Trump's name, a change scholars and lawmakers say must be initiated by Congress, and physically added the president's name to the building's facade.

The fallout from the arts community was swift and intense. Actor Issa Rae, musician Bela Fleck and author Louise Penny were among the numerous artists who withdrew from appearances since last year, while consultants such as musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming resigned. Earlier this month, the executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, Jean Davidson, left to head the Los Angeles-based Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

Grenell has called some of the artists who canceled their shows "far-left political activists" who "were booked by the previous far-left leadership."

Without mentioning the abandoned performances, Mr. Trump said in February he would close the Kennedy Center to fix what he has described as a dilapidated building.

Ahead of the closure, Grenell warned staff about impending cuts that will leave "skeletal teams."

Floca, Grenell's successor, had been serving as vice president of operations. According to his LinkedIn page, he joined the Kennedy Center in January 2024, during the Biden administration.

A center press release from the time describes him as "an experienced facilities management professional with a construction management background and an appreciation for whole building design principles."

Previous experience for Floca listed on LinkedIn includes a handful of positions with the District of Columbia government, among them associate director of sustainability and energy and director of facilities management. He graduated from Louisiana State University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management.

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