Kennedy Center Projects $23 Million Deficit After Trump Name Change Craters Revenue
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 25
Kennedy Center Projects $23 Million Deficit After Trump Name Change Craters Revenue
1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 25
Summary
Internal Kennedy Center forecasts showed fiscal 2026 revenue falling to about $124 million from a roughly $220 million budget, leaving a projected $23 million deficit even after deep expense cuts.
Documents reviewed by The Washington Post indicate ticket sales and donations plunged most sharply after the Trump-led board voted in December to rename the center after him and put his name on the building.
Officials projected earned revenue would miss budget by 70% and contributed revenue by 25%, putting the center nearly $100 million short of its overall revenue target.
Kennedy Center leadership publicly cast Trump’s takeover as a financial rescue, while a spokesperson blamed prior management and said a proposed fiscal 2027 budget is balanced.
The deterioration stands out from a generally stable broader arts sector and adds pressure on the center’s planned two-year closure for renovations, which is already being challenged in federal court.