The Washington National Opera will leave the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after more than 50 years. This decision has led to political and cultural pushback and is seen as a critique of President Donald Trump’s changes to the institution during his second term.
The New York Times, which first reported the decision on Friday, called the move “perhaps the largest artistic rebuke yet” to Trump’s attempts to alter the Kennedy Center’s leadership, programming, and public image. The opera company has performed at the center since 1971 and has been one of its main resident organizations.
In a statement cited by the Times, the Washington National Opera said it was leaving because of declining attendance and lower donations over the past year. These issues worsened after changes at the center due to Trump’s increased involvement. While the company did not directly mention the president, the timing has led many to draw their own conclusions.
Trump and his supporters have defended the changes as necessary to stabilize the Kennedy Center financially and modernize its programming. The White House previously claimed that the president helped “save” the institution, a statement challenged by critics and some board members.
Breaking News: The Washington National Opera is leaving the Kennedy Center after President Trump’s intervention upset artists and donors. The opera has performed there since 1971. https://t.co/WfOomqqTph
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 9, 2026
Conservative commentator Bill Kristol, editor at large of The Bulwark, mocked the change in a post on X. He wrote that “The Kennedy Center with no more operas but with the ‘premiere’ of ‘Melania: The Movie’ kind of says it all.” James Himberger, managing editor of The National Interest, also criticized the center’s direction in another social media post, suggesting that the changes showed political priorities instead of artistic ones.
On CNN, political strategist Maria Cardona called the situation “such a shame,” stating that the Kennedy Center was losing performances that represented “the culture, the art, the history” of the institution. Republican strategist Matt Gorman, also on CNN, described the decision as “unfortunate all the way around” and noted that the administration’s actions were “having a financial cost.”
Local and arts-focused voices have highlighted the wider effects on Washington’s cultural scene. Journalist Justin O’Neill called the decision a “big deal for D.C.’s arts scene,” while one widely shared post on X summarized the announcement in a single word: “YIKES.”
The opera’s departure follows months of controversy at the Kennedy Center. Last year, Trump was appointed chairman of the board, which led to resignations, protests from artists, and objections from members of the Kennedy family. The center, which serves as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, has historically claimed to be nonpartisan, though Trump and his supporters argue otherwise.
Ticket sales have reportedly dropped amid the unrest, and several prominent performers and composers have pulled out of scheduled events or turned down invitations to participate in galas. These developments have raised concerns about the center’s financial health and artistic standing.
The Washington National Opera has not announced a new permanent venue. Its leadership stated they will look for alternative performance spaces in the region while continuing their mission to present opera to diverse audiences.
