Kennedy Center hits ‘fiscal cliff’ after Trump’s name added as sales, donations plunge: Report

WASHINGTON, DC: The Kennedy Center projected a $23 million deficit for the current fiscal year as ticket revenue and fundraising declined sharply following President Donald Trump’s takeover of the institution and the subsequent addition of his name to the building, according to internal financial records.

The documents show the center was projected to fall nearly $100 million short of its overall revenue target despite significant spending cuts.

The findings largely contrast with claims made by Trump administration officials and the Kennedy Center board that the president’s involvement had helped put the institution on a stronger financial footing.

Kennedy Center revenue plunges after Trump name added

The financial records obtained by the Washington Post include internal budgets, management forecasts, board minutes, and financial presentations covering the period after Trump replaced dozens of board members with his allies and promoted himself as chairman.

The center had budgeted roughly $220 million in revenue for fiscal 2026, which runs through September 30.

However, by late May, officials projected revenue of about $124 million. Earned revenue was expected to fall about 70% below its budget target, while contributed revenue was projected to be 25% below expectations.

Officials reduced projected expenses by roughly one-third, but those cuts were not enough to prevent the projected $23 million deficit. Ticket sales had already declined in the months following Trump’s takeover in February 2025.

The internal records indicate the decline became substantially steeper after the Trump-led board voted in December to add his name to the Kennedy Center.

One official familiar with the center’s finances called the decline “an absolute fiscal cliff,” adding that “donors disappeared, ticket sales disappeared, artists disappeared, like it was doomsday.”

The center has disputed that characterization, attributing its financial difficulties to what it described as years of mismanagement under previous leadership.

Center officials have instead said that Trump’s name has helped attract donors and contributed to fundraising for its renovations.

Trump administration defends Kennedy Center funding plans

The financial disclosures come as the Trump administration continues to defend the president’s involvement in the Kennedy Center and his plans to undertake major renovations.

The administration has highlighted roughly $257 million in congressional funding for capital repairs and has credited Trump with developing a "new donor base." Kennedy Center leaders have also pointed to a proposed fiscal 2027 budget that they say is balanced.

In a court filing on Tuesday, August 25, the administration argued that without the president’s efforts, the center could deteriorate to the point where demolition might eventually be necessary.

“Without those efforts, the Center will deteriorate further into an unsafe, decrepit structure that will be required to be taken down, with a determination to follow on what to build on the site, such as a large outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Potomac River that has been proposed, by some, for many years,” the administration said.