Thousands gathered outside the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on Friday evening to protest President Donald Trump’s plans for the landmark venue, including his suggestion that the complex could be demolished.
The demonstration reflected growing alarm among arts organizations, performers and members of the public who fear Trump could follow through on his threat to remake or destroy the iconic cultural institution.
Protesters poured out of the nearest Metro station and filled the streets of Foggy Bottom, bringing traffic to a standstill as they made their way toward the “Hands Around the Kennedy Center” event. Many carried signs and joined chants in defense of the venue.
At one stage, participants joined hands to create a human chain encircling the Kennedy Center.
Chris Raleigh, co-founder of Hands Off the Arts, the group behind the gathering, said he hoped the turnout would send a clear message that the public is prepared to oppose Trump’s plans for the building.
The Kennedy Center, one of the most recognizable landmarks along the Potomac River, has become a central part of Trump’s effort to reshape Washington since 2025, when he began placing allies on the center’s governing board.
Late last year, Trump’s name was added to the center, but a judge later ruled that the change was unlawful and ordered it taken down.
On Tuesday, the Kennedy Center board, which is aligned with the president, voted to shut the venue indefinitely for repairs. The decision came just hours after U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper blocked an effort to restore Trump’s name to the building.
Demonstrators raise a banner during Friday’s rally opposing the closure of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
Mary Dominiak, center, stands during the national anthem as protesters gather against the planned closure of the Kennedy Center.
Drag queen Tara Hoot holds signs while taking part in the rally against the Kennedy Center’s closure.
On Thursday, Cooper ordered the Kennedy Center to give 30 days’ notice before carrying out any major physical alterations to the property, including demolition.
Raleigh said he and other protesters remain worried that Trump could attempt to act without properly informing the court.
“Look at the East Wing,” he said. “We woke up one morning and there was a giant hole there.”
Raleigh argued that the Kennedy Center has attracted far greater public attention than the East Wing did.
He said he was unsure whether the president fully understood the depth of the public reaction. “But that’s our job, right?” Raleigh said. “This may be the line that no one expected, but this is where the line is going to be.”
Throughout the rally, demonstrators described the Kennedy Center as the nation’s leading home for the performing arts and emphasized its importance to American cultural life.
Bud Wilkinson, a local arts community member, created a chalkboard covered with Trump’s name written hundreds of times.
Protesters gathered around the display, erasing the names and drawing hearts in their place.
Demonstrators link hands to form a human chain during a rally outside the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
People rally against the closing of the Kennedy Center
Thousands of protesters descended on Washington on Friday amid fears the Kennedy Center could ultimately be demolished
Maria Powers rallies against the closing of the Kennedy Center
Demonstrators gathered to form a human chain around the building
‘The Kennedy Center is vital to the arts in Washington. We need it. We need this,’ Wilkinson said.
‘This is not just about putting the president’s name on the Kennedy Center. It’s about censoring the performances and the programming. That’s what started all this. So that’s what the nitty-gritty really is about this. So I want to replace all of this with love. That’s why there’s a heart.’
Alina Baciu talked about the opportunities and relationships that students at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts have with the center and how those relationships might be impacted by what’s going on.
Her daughter had numerous opportunities to take advantage of all the center had to offer as a student at Duke Ellington, she said.
‘I mean, they borrowed the beautiful costumes and the beautiful dresses from the Washington National Opera for their performances at Duke Ellington,’ she said.
They also performed on the center’s Millennium Stage.
‘All of those things have gone away because of this craziness. And it just hurts my heart,’ Baciu said.
Laura Steinberg, a volunteer for the last 10 years, said the loss of performances has already been heart- wrenching.
‘This reminds me of that picture from Tiananmen Square, where that young man stood in front of the tank,’ she said of the throngs present.
Cassandra Corcoran, Leslie Cook and other protestors hold hands as they denounce the Kennedy Center board’s vote to close one of the nation’s premier performing arts venues
People hold hands as they rally against the closing of the Kennedy Center
The demonstration capped a tumultuous week of court battles, closure announcements and uncertainty over the Kennedy Center’s future
A demonstrator in a inflatable costume rallies against the closing
Supporters highlighted the Kennedy Center’s longstanding relationships with young performers and local arts students
‘This was my visceral response to this. I’ll stand in front of the wrecking ball if it’s going to come to that. My guess is many of these people would come down because we saw what he did to the East Wing. Nobody thought he would actually do it. So I think the shock has mobilized people.’
Friday’s event followed a tumultuous week in federal courts in Washington where filings and counter-filings flooded the courts as the administration continues pushing for the president’s vanity projects.
The administration has made substantive steps to begin work on a number of projects, despite the fact they are still being litigated.
Such projects include Trump’s triumphal arch and the administration’s takeover of East Potomac Golf Links and the U.S. Institute of Peace.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said he was willing to save the center, which he said was losing money. He did not address a question about demolishing it.
‘We have a lot of people working very hard on it to save it,’ he said.
‘I can save it easily, but why should we be doing that and then raise money for the rest of our lives to keep it afloat? Because that’s what you have to do, if we get no recognition. I think the Trump administration should be recognized as having saved the Kennedy Center.’
