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BOMBSHELL: The Kennedy Center Isn’t Closed For “Renovations”—It’s Bankrupt!

2026-04-22 News & Politics
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The Bulwark
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Description

Sonny Bunch speaks with whistleblower Josef Palermo, who saw the collapse of the Kennedy Center from the inside. The Kennedy Center president Ric Grenell and the Trump administration said the shutdown was about renovations. But Palermo says the real story is financial collapse, political interference, and a dramatic shift away from the institution’s mission. From six-figure ticket markups to a fundraising pitch delivered during an October 7 memorial, Palermo lays out how things went wrong and how fast it happened. Read more from Josef Palermo: https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/04/inside-kennedy-center-shutdown-drama/686801/ Become a Bulwark Youtube Plus Member here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Hp1KbGw4e02N7FpPXDgQ/join

Top Comments (10)

@dwdei8815 2026-04-22

"I'm glad Congress isn't alive to see this".

1.1k 38 replies
@kirstinpancerz8867 2026-04-22

Everything he touches, dies!!!! EVERYTHING!

831 28 replies
@hookbox666 2026-04-22

Donald Trump has bankrupted about as many busineses as he has stopped imaginary wars

666 15 replies
@llkellenba 2026-04-22

Selling America off for parts. That’s Trump’s America.

638 6 replies
@soob1961 2026-04-22

Its gone from the "John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts" to the "Donald J Trump Warehouse for Self-Promotion, Grievance, Grift and Corruption".

630 8 replies
@lisathompson3484 2026-04-22

So much rebuilding of our institutions to be done once he is gone😮😤😡

506 40 replies
@cathiestubes2820 2026-04-22

The lesson that must be learned from Trump is that democracy is not strong enough without accountability for corruption and lawlessness.

316 13 replies
@brendamcondliffe476 2026-04-22

OMG, How much longer do we have to suffer this wrecking ball at 1600 Pennsylvania? He looted the Kennedy Center will wonders never cease!

265 4 replies
@sarinat3101 2026-04-23

I'm already depressed about what they've done to the Forest Service when nobody was watching.

253 7 replies
@nelliekenny9630 2026-04-23

The more I hear , the more I believe that Dump is syphoning money to take off to a country with a non extradition to the US.

198 9 replies

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