The Kennedy Center has announced a temporary suspension of its free public tours after a volunteer tour guide spoke with the New York Times regarding President Donald Trump's influence on the institution. An internal memo indicated that the suspension would begin on Friday, although Brooks Boeke, director of the Friends of the Kennedy Center volunteer program, later clarified that the pause would last only a few days. The memo instructed tour guides to cease operations until further notice, but did not specify the reasons for the suspension. A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center stated that the decision is part of a review of tour routes to enhance visitor experience.
The tour program has been operational almost every year since the Kennedy Center opened in 1971, with a brief hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Concerns have been raised by some volunteers about potential retaliation from the Trump administration following the critical remarks made by the guide, Sandy Weiswasser, in the New York Times interview. Weiswasser, who has been guiding tours for 18 years, expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the center, stating, "This place used to be really thriving and busy and crowded. Now it’s a black hole."
This development occurs amidst ongoing legal disputes regarding Trump's plans for extensive renovations at the Kennedy Center, which have been halted by a court order. The Kennedy Center's board of trustees is scheduled to meet in early August to discuss the situation and must provide updates to the court by August 20.