Kennedy Center Honors Move to Arena After Renaming Dispute
The Kennedy Center Honors will move to Capital One Arena after President Donald Trump conditioned safety repairs on renaming the venue in his honor.
The 49th annual Kennedy Center Honors will be held at the Capital One Arena in Washington on December 7, 2026, instead of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The venue change follows the closure of the riverfront center in September due to falling ceiling debris and a need for emergency repairs.
Donald Trump has conditioned the start of reconstruction and renovation on the board's ability to rename the facility the Trump Kennedy Center. A federal judge has ruled twice that such a change requires the approval of Congress, as current law prohibits the center from serving as a memorial to anyone other than John F. Kennedy. While Congress has already allocated $257 million for repairs, the board of trustees voted to close the facility after the court blocked the renaming effort.
In response to the closure, a bipartisan group of legislators attempted to introduce a bill to prevent the demolition of the center or other congressional presidential memorials. However, Senator Mike Lee blocked the effort. Trump has maintained that he has no interest in continuing a hopeless journey if he is not free to bring the institution back physically, financially, and artistically.
