Reportedly Kennedy Center Honors Moving to Capital One Arena Amid Trump Name Row

The 49th Kennedy Center Honors will be held at Washington's Capital One Arena on December 7. No explanation for the venue change was given by a Kennedy Center spokesperson.

• $257 million has been allocated by Congress for Kennedy Center repairs.
• A federal judge has twice blocked trustees from adding Trump's name without Congress' approval.
• The board, appointed by Trump, voted unanimously to close the riverfront venue.
• The 2026 honorees have not yet been named, the spokesperson said.

Why it matters: This is the first time in the ceremony's 48-year history that the Honors will be held away from the Kennedy Center's own stage.

• Trump said repairs would proceed only if trustees could add his name to the building's exterior.
• Congress established the center as a living memorial to President Kennedy in 1964; the law bars the board from naming it after anyone else.

How 31 sources split on this story

Where they split: Left and center outlets frame the venue change as a consequence of the naming dispute; Just the News emphasizes that the board argued Trump's personal support was the only path to avoiding financial collapse.

What’s next: 2026 honorees will be announced at a later date, the Kennedy Center said.

• The court ruling leaves the renaming question dependent on a future act of Congress.
• Will the Kennedy Center reopen its riverfront building before the December 7 ceremony?
• What conditions, if any, could break the standoff between the courts, Congress, and the board over the renaming and repairs?