Will Trump gut the Kennedy Center? What to know about his construction plans for the D.C. institution

President Donald Trump said Monday that he’s “not ripping down” the Kennedy Center but insisted the performing arts venue needs to shut down for about two years for construction and other work without patrons coming and going and getting in the way.

The comments strongly suggested that he intends to gut the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of the process.

“I’m not ripping it down,” the Republican president told reporters in the Oval Office. “I’ll be using the steel.