Trump's plan for Kennedy Center 'differs sharply' from public statements in internal email
An internal email revealed that President Donald Trump has not been forthcoming about his plans for the recently closed Kennedy Center, according to a report.
NPR reported on Thursday that an email from Brooks Boeke, the director of the Friends of the Kennedy Center volunteer program, revealed that the "intensive beautification and restoration project" the Trump administration is undertaking at the center "differs sharply" from what Trump has said publicly.
Trump has said the Kennedy Center renovation project would require a "complete rebuilding," a phrase some interpreted as meaning the president planned to tear down the center. But the email reveals that many of the projects are more superficial in nature.
However, the changes outlined in Boeke's email seem much more subtle than those proposed by Trump. For instance, the project will change the color scheme of the Grand Foyer, Hall of States, and Hall of Nations. The carpeting and furnishings in these areas were updated just two years ago, NPR reported, and the Trump administration is planning to change them again.
The work will also include updated safety, HVAC, and electrical systems, according to the report.
Trump announced earlier this year that the Kennedy Center would close for two years. The announcement came after multiple acts cancelled their dates at the center in protest of the Trump administration's policies.