Whitehouse releases whistleblower report on Kennedy Center

A U.S. senator has released a whistleblower report alleging that renovations at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts were rushed, mismanaged, and bypassed federal contracting laws to meet deadlines for events featuring President Donald Trump in December 2025. The allegations, detailed in a letter sent by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island to the Kennedy Center's leadership on Thursday, July 9, 2026, claim the work has resulted in deteriorating infrastructure and wasteful spending.

According to the whistleblower disclosure, which includes firsthand accounts from multiple former project managers supported by documents and photographs, the Kennedy Center's management worked in unusually close consultation with the White House to expedite renovations. The goal was to prepare the venue for televised events Trump planned to host there in December 2025, including the FIFA World Cup final draw ceremony, where he was presented with an inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, and the Kennedy Center Honors.

The report alleges that to meet these deadlines, longstanding federal contracting controls were set aside. It claims no-bid contracts were awarded, including an $8 million...