By MATTHEW DALY and NATHAN ELLGREN
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fencing went up Wednesday around the main Kennedy Center building, a day after the Trump-aligned board voted to close most of the performing arts center for repairs.
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That vote came after a federal judge blocked the institution from returning President Donald Trump’s name to the building.
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The Republican president had said in social media post that the closure was needed for safety repairs. But he said the repairs, which Congress has allocated $257 million to cover, would only happen if the board was permitted to move forward with plans to add his name to the building.
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People walk outside of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Washington. ( (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
A person jogs outside of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Washington. ( (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Gear from a television crew is seen outside of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Washington. ( (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
This is a developing story and will be updated.