Donations to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts dropped so sharply after its board voted to add President Donald Trump's name to the building that reporters asked a tax expert to explain how those figures were even possible.
Records and internal presentations obtained by CNN show that gifts fell 42 percent from January to April compared with the previous three months and donation pledges over the same period fell by more than 100 percent – a drop-off so staggering that reporters sought an expert for clarification.
"A tax expert told CNN that a decline of that size is possible if earlier pledges were withdrawn," reporters wrote.
The institution was already under strain after the Covid-19 pandemic, the records from fiscal year 2024 through this year show, but those problems deepened after Trump became involved.
A May 2025 presentation summarizing the center's condition opened by saying it was "out of cash," and a later slide reported that second-quarter ticket sales had fallen to "pandemic levels." It said the decline sped up in 2025 after the new board was announced.
Trump replaced the center's board in February 2025 and was then elected chairman. He installed longtime ally Ric Grenell as executive director, and the shift in programming that followed led to several cancellations, including the touring production of "Hamilton."
According to the documents, fundraising fell about $5.1 million short of its target in fiscal year 2025. Preliminary figures show a deficit of more than $16 million that year, and that gap is projected to reach $23 million in 2026. Ticket revenue was expected to fall from $57 million to about $51 million.
The findings undercut arguments from the Trump-aligned board that the center depends on the president's name to attract donors. In a court filing, the Justice Department argued that without prominent recognition of Trump, "the donors will not contribute, and the Center will continue to be in a financial and structural death spiral."
Trump has denied responsibility for the center's troubles. "It had nothing to do with me, I am only there to help," he wrote on Truth Social in September.
A Kennedy Center spokesperson told CNN the institution is still adjusting to post-pandemic changes in audience behavior, adding that Trump helped secure congressional funding for renovations. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
The documents are part of a whistleblower complaint alleging that the administration deliberately put off repairs to justify a lengthy closure or demolition. The main building is now closed for emergency repairs, and a federal judge has required at least 30 days' notice before any demolition and also blocked Trump's name from being added to the building.
Time Magazine published an interview Thursday where the president was asked whether he would rule out demolishing the building, but Trump said he was "not committing to anything."