Senate Democrat expands probe into Kennedy Center spending

Senate Senate Democrat expands probe into Kennedy Center spending Comments: by Sophie Brams - 07/11/26 1:25 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Sophie Brams - 07/11/26 1:25 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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A Senate Democrat is expanding a probe into alleged corruption within the ranks of the renowned Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, accusing its leadership of mismanaging federally appropriated funds “to the detriment” of the venue.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) wrote in a July 9 letter to Executive Director Matt Floca that he had obtained whistleblower information alleging the Kennedy Center rushed a series of renovations last year in order to meet arbitrary deadlines set by President Trump.

“In the process, longstanding federal contracting controls were set aside, no-bid contractors were awarded, and superficial cosmetic work was performed that staff warned would have to be redone,” he wrote.

The letter detailed examples from the alleged whistleblower’s disclosure about the revamp, which included repainting the building’s columns at taxpayers’ expense, awarding an $8 million no-bid flooring contract to a South Carolina firm with no known concert-hall experience and tearing out a new bathroom floor because Trump “didn’t like the color.”

Whitehouse, an ex-officio board member, also accused the Kennedy Center leadership of telling staff to do “whatever it takes” to get the work done before the FIFA Peace Prize ceremony and later rewriting its contracting rules to justify the no-bid contracts.

“Instead of pursuing renovations tailored to the building’s actual needs, the Center rushed a series of renovations driven by the President’s aesthetic whims and his desire to star in a series of televised events in December,” the senator wrote.

“The Center’s subservience to the President’s desires and its corner-cutting contracting practices have resulted in steel columns that are rusting through fresh paint, a reflecting pool that may have to be torn out and rebuilt, and a brand-new bathroom floor torn out over an offending tile color,” he added.

The Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.

The infamous arts and cultural institution has undergone dramatic changes since Trump overhauled its board last year and made himself chair, a move that spurred the exits of several artistic partners and prompted many performances to cancel planned appearances.

The president’s new hand-picked board voted in November to add his name to the building, drawing immediate successful legal challenges.

District Judge Christopher Cooper blocked the name change in May, siding with a lawsuit brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), another ex-officio board member, and ordered that Trump’s name be stripped from the façade. He also found that the board’s vote close the center for a two-year renovation this summer was unlawful.

The Justice Department fought Cooper’s order, arguing that the center would be “forced to squander time and money” if Trump’s name was removed only to have it restored by an appeals court. The judge rejected that effort, and the president’s name came down in the early morning hours of June 13.

A three-judge panel for the D.C. Court of Appeals unanimously denied the administration’s motion for a stay pending appeal on Wednesday, finding that DOJ “failed to show they will be irreparably injured” and did not provide specific evidence to support claims that fundraising efforts would be impeded without one.