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Video exposes disrepair lurking beneath Trump Kennedy Center as $257M renovation looms
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Peeling concrete, exposed steel rebar, rust-streaked electrical equipment and vents patched together with layers of duct tape are among the problems hidden beneath the Trump Kennedy Center, according to photos, project materials and board minutes obtained by Fox News Digital as officials push to temporarily shut down the building for major repairs.
The Trump Kennedy Center released documentation Wednesday of what it described as «decades of deferred maintenance and critical infrastructure needs» as part of a $257 million renovation effort, offering an unusually detailed look at the condition of the venue as leadership pushes forward with the project.
The disclosures come as debate intensifies over the plan to close the center for up to two years. While there appears to be broad agreement that the building requires significant repair, some Democrats have objected to the speed of the process.
According to March 16 meeting minutes reviewed by Fox News Digital, Democrat Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, said she had «no opposition for the need for repair» but «strongly opposes voting on a closure.»
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Pre-renovation images show deteriorating infrastructure inside the Trump Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., including a displaced sluice panel, water-stained and corroded electrical equipment and exposed structural concrete with visible rebar. (Courtesy of the Trump Kennedy Center)
The minutes also say Beatty argued there had not been «enough time to review, study, and discuss» the proposal.
The condition of the building is evident in images and video provided by the Trump Kennedy Center, which show water damage affecting electrical systems, rusted infrastructure and large sections of concrete where internal steel supports are exposed.
Project materials describe «2,000+ pound soffit panels» that have reached «end-of-life» and «present a public safety risk,» along with «hundreds of structural failure points» in areas such as the parking garage.
Officials also cited «extensive water infiltration,» deterioration in electrical rooms beneath entrances and long-term damage affecting the center’s iconic white marble exterior as well as concrete and core structural systems.
LEAVITT SHOWS OFF US TRIUMPHAL ARCH, WITH PLANS TO BE RELEASED THURSDAY
The electrical vault room shows extreme water damage with wet surfaces and debris inside the facility. (Courtesy of the Trump Kennedy Center)
Officials have warned that, without repairs, deteriorating structural elements, water-damaged electrical systems and heavy overhead components nearing «end-of-life» could pose potential safety risks to visitors and staff.
The scope of the problems outlined in the new materials echoes earlier warnings from center leadership. In February, officials told Fox News Digital that decades of neglect had left the building in «extremely poor condition,» citing broken elevators, failing HVAC systems and deferred maintenance needs they warned could threaten the venue’s very survival.
«We are financially stable, yet the building is still physically in trouble,» Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravi said in a previous statement to Fox News Digital.
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Improper installation trapped moisture behind marble siding panels at the Trump Kennedy Center, causing staining and internal corrosion. The panels and granite paving slabs will be replaced with corrected drainage systems. (Courtesy of the Trump Kennedy Center)
Executive Director Matt Floca said the decision to close the center is driven by the scale of the work required.
«So, the recommendation was just natural: You shut the building down, temporarily, and you make this investment. And then you reopen,» Floca said.
President Donald Trump has also previously argued that closing the building is necessary to complete the work efficiently.
«If we don’t close, the quality of construction will not be nearly as good,» Trump said.
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A memorial bust of former President John F. Kennedy is displayed in the lobby of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., as patrons attend the Washington National Opera on Sept. 24, 2013. (Paul J. Richards/Getty Images)
Floca said the scope of the repairs is based on long-standing assessments of the building’s condition, not a newly developed plan.
«The maintenance needs were all developed previously in a 2021 Comprehensive Building Plan,» he said.
Asked how visitors have reacted when seeing the condition of the building up close, Floca said there has been «surprise across the board — ‘How did we get here,’ right?»
Tours of the Trump Kennedy Center have been offered on a bipartisan basis to lawmakers, along with donors and other key stakeholders, as officials seek to demonstrate the extent of the damage firsthand.
The sessions began earlier this month while Congress was in recess and included staff for a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, as well as offices representing both parties in the House and Senate and a representative for Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser.
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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend the opening night of the musical «Chicago» at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington March 31, 2026. (Rod Lamkey Jr./AP)
Opponents have also raised concerns about process and oversight, and a lawsuit brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation has argued that major changes could affect the historic integrity of the building.
«We’re maintaining the JFK bust where it is,» Floca told gathered press on Wednesday. «The memorial at large will stay the same. All of the quotes and everything on the marble on the exterior building, none of that’s changing.»
The physical deterioration outlined in the renovation plans comes as the center has reported financial gains under current leadership. In December, officials told Fox News Digital the Kennedy Center Honors raised a record $23 million, nearly doubling the previous year’s total.
The fundraising gains followed leadership changes that saw Trump take on a more direct role in the institution, including as chairman of its board.
Congress has appropriated roughly $257 million for the work through the «One, Big Beautiful Bill» signed into law last year.
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Renovations are expected to begin after July 4, 2026.
«This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the center,» Floca said Wednesday. «All of these improvements that we need to make are real, are needed. And we have the timeframe to do it. I’m incredibly excited about it.»
The Office of Rep. Joyce Beatty did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
kennedy center, congress, maintenance, arts, fund raising
INTERNACIONAL
Virginia court declares state’s redistricting vote was unconstitutional in legal win for Republicans
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Republicans are cheering a circuit court victory in Virginia that showed Democrats’ redistricting efforts in Virginia are not quite over yet despite a referendum to accept a new map drawn by Democrats getting approved by voters Tuesday.
Virginia Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley ruled Wednesday, one day after the Democrat redistricting referendum passed, that all votes for or against the proposed redistricting amendment were unconstitutional, citing rules that impose certain requirements that the referendum did not meet.
There are a handful of cases making their way through the Virginia court system challenging various aspects of the referendum, including the one Hurley ruled on Wednesday.
«The Tazewell Circuit Court just ruled the referendum unconstitutional. The Judge entered an injunction blocking certification of the election & denied a motion to stay pending appeal. A final order will be entered once drafted, & it will be immediately appealed,» former Republican Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said on X after Hurley’s ruling.
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Shortly after the ruling came down, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, a Democrat who beat GOP incumbent Jason Miyares in November, indicated his office will «immediately file an appeal.»
Cuccinelli, who heads the American Principles Project Election Transparency Initiative, indicated Wednesday there are four constitutional challenges to the referendum making their way through the courts, three of which are challenges to the amendment process itself.
Former acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli criticized Portland’s policing priorities as «soft,» saying the city’s policies harm public safety during an event in Georgia. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)
«Virginia has a process to amend its constitution that has the General Assembly pass a proposed amendment and then have a state election — an intervening election — where the new House of Delegates was elected and so forth. And then that new General Assembly comes back and has to pass the exact same amendment,» Cuccinelli told CNN conservative commentator Scott Jennings on Wednesday.
«The General Assembly passed the amendment for the first time — called first passage, very creative — on Halloween. Well, these same Democrats, five years ago, gave us a 45-day election. So, voting began September 19 of 2025. Over a million people had already voted before first passage, and they want to treat that election as the intervening election. They’re going to have a very difficult time with that.»
Cuccinelli added that there are other «equally difficult» constitutional challenges Democrats are facing in this legal battle, which he said he expects to move quickly through the courts. Cuccinelli told Jennings he expects a final ruling on the matter by May.
NEWSOM TURNS VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING VICTORY INTO WARNING SHOT FOR TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
The approved referendum could result in a 10-1 advantage for Democrats in Virginia’s congressional delegation, up from their current 6-5 edge, if the courts do not ultimately strike it down. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
Shortly after news of the Virginia circuit court ruling in Tazewell, Jones announced his office would be immediately appealing the measure. Jones argued that «an activist judge» should not have the power to veto «the People’s vote.»
«Virginia voters have spoken, and an activist judge should not have veto power over the People’s vote,» Jones said Wednesday after the ruling. «We look forward to defending the outcome of last night’s election in court.»
Jay Jones addresses supporters after winning the Democratic nomination for Virginia attorney general as his wife, Mavis Jones, looks on in Norfolk, Va., June 17, 2025. (Trevor Metcalfe/The Virginian-Pilot/Tribune News Service)
Democrat strategist Adam Parkhomenko echoed Jones’ criticism after the news broke Wednesday but also said he has expectations that Republicans’ legal challenges will not hold up in court.
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«Virginia voters spoke. MAGA lost. And now a rogue Republican judge is trying to override the will of the people because they didn’t like the outcome,» Parkhomenko said on X. «That’s not democracy. That’s desperation.»
Parkhomenko added he has «full confidence a higher court will overturn this nonsense quickly, and the will of Virginia voters will prevail.»
«Nice try,» the Dem strategist added.
democrats elections, virginia, appeals, republicans elections, elections state and local, in court
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La geografía riesgosa de la nube en tiempos de la inteligencia artificial y la guerra contra Irán
Panamá debe cumplir con varios requisitos clave para aspirar a formar parte de la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económicos (OCDE), entre ellos fortalecer el capital humano, mejorar la educación y las habilidades para alinearlas con las oportunidades del futuro.
Así lo ve el ministro de Economía y Finanzas, Felipe Chapman, quien agregó que se requieren de instituciones más sólidas, además de una mayor capacidad de ejecución y decisiones basadas en evidencia, así como reglas claras y estables.
Las palabras de Chapman se dieron durante la apertura de la Conferencia Anual de Ejecutivos de Empresa (CADE 2026), cuyo tema central a analizar es las ventajas que ofrecerá a Panamá una posible integración a la OCDE.
Uno de los principales retos del encuentro, organizado por la Asociación Panameña de Ejecutivos de Empres (APEDE) será definir posturas y propuestas concretas que contribuyan al desarrollo económico del país, en un contexto donde la atracción de inversiones y la generación de empleo son prioridades, dijeron sus organizadores.
Carlos Ernesto González Ramírez, presidente de CADE 2026, manifestó que la posible entrada a la OCDE puede aportar beneficios claros, como mejorar la imagen internacional de Panamá y salir de listas que han afectado su competitividad, pero también implica retos importantes en materia de gobernanza y transparencia.
“Hay temas que definitivamente son positivos, como la calidad de las estadísticas y la profesionalización del Estado, pero también hay áreas que requieren un análisis profundo para entender su impacto en nuestra realidad económica”, puntualizó en la web de la APEDE.
Desde 1966, CADE ha sido el espacio donde Panamá se detiene a reflexionar sobre sus retos y oportunidades
Este año el encuentro anual de los ejecutivos de empresa, que en esta oportunidad llega a su edición número 60, se realizará hasta este viernes 24 de abril y tiene como lema principal: “OCDE: Confianza global ¿progreso local?, el futuro de Panamá en debate”.
“Este año CADE cumple 60 años, así que estamos muy contentos y lo celebramos con el tema de la posible entrada de Panamá a la OCDE. Vamos a analizar las ventajas, desventajas, retos y costos que pueda significar esta adhesión”, dijo la presidenta de la APEDE, Giulia De Sanctis.
De Sanctis afirmó que el encuentro busca convertir el análisis en propuestas concretas para el país y precisó que, frente a la posible adhesión a la OCDE el gremio no tiene una postura definida, ya que el objetivo es contar con la información necesaria para tomar la mejor decisión.
“Panamá tiene oportunidades importantes, pero aprovecharlas exige fortalecer nuestras instituciones, generar confianza y apostar por la competitividad. CADE es el espacio para traducir esos estándares en progreso real para los panameños”, sostuvo.
El programa del evento incluye, de acuerdo con la APEDE, experiencias internacionales como la de Ana María Sánchez, quien compartirá el proceso de adhesión de Perú a la OCDE, así como un panel sobre experiencias comparadas con Marianne Bennette de Costa Rica y Mario López Roldán, director del Centro de la OCDE para América Latina y el Caribe.
En el eje de institucionalidad, participará Ricaurte Vásquez, administrador de la Autoridad del Canal de Panamá, abordando el rol de la gobernanza en la construcción de un país más competitivo.
El bloque económico y financiero incluirá la participación de Ubaldo González del BID, así como los panelistas David Saied, Adolfo Linares y Dulcidio De la Guardia, enfocados en transparencia fiscal y competitividad. Mientras que el cierre pondrá el foco en comercio, inversión y logística, con Jorge Mario Martínez de la CEPAL.
En materia de desarrollo social y talento, la agenda incorpora a la ministra de Educación, Lucy Molinar, junto a especialistas como Rolando Gittens y Eduardo Ortega-Barría, quienes analizarán los desafíos en educación, ciencia y tecnología.
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