March 26 (Reuters) – The Kennedy Center began layoffs on Thursday ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to shut down the institution for two years, the Washington Post reported, citing multiple people at the center.
It is unclear how many staffers were affected, but the number appears to be in the double digits and affected multiple departments, the Post said.
The Washington arts institution, whose board in December voted to rename it the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump said in February he planned to close the center for two years for reconstruction starting in July.
The U.S. president had earlier named himself its chairman and filled its board with allies.
(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in Toronto; Editing by Caitlin Webber)
