President Donald Trump gathered political allies, wealthy donors, and the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts at the White House on Monday to promote a drastic renovation plan for the national cultural institution. The project will shutter the center for roughly two years, even as the administration claims it has restored the venue’s prestige. Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ + news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter. Trump opened the meeting with a striking assertion that he had predicted Osama bin Laden would attack the World Trade Center roughly a year before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The claim came at the start of what became a long, meandering East Room gathering that veered among cultural commentary, political boasts, construction talk, and personal anecdotes. Related : Ric Grenell to step down as Kennedy Center president after controversial tenure Related : Trump taps gay MAGA loyalist Ric Grenell as interim head of Kennedy Center Pool reporters were escorted into the East Room shortly before noon, where a mix of political leaders, administration officials, and wealthy patrons waited for the president. Among those present were House Speaker Mike Johnson , departing Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell , Attorney General Pam Bondi, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and casino magnate Steve Wynn. The stated purpose of the meeting was to discuss the future of the Kennedy Center, the federally chartered performing arts institution dedicated as a living memorial to the assassinated 35th president on the Potomac River. The Trump administration plans to close the complex beginning after a July 4 celebration so that it can undergo extensive renovations. Trump described the overhaul as a rescue effort, repeatedly arguing that the center had been neglected and financially mismanaged before his allies took control. “Before we took over, just a year ago, the legendary, this wonderful place was literally on the verge of collapse,” Trump said, claiming the facility faced severe structural issues and mounting financial losses. He also criticized the institution’s programming as “very woke and out of touch with reality,” telling attendees that his allies had eliminated diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and replaced them with “patriotic and family-friendly programming.” Trump credited the Kennedy Center board and wealthy donors with helping stabilize the institution, saying the group had raised more than $130 million in the past year and generated record fundraising tied to the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. But the celebratory tone stood in contrast to the center’s recent turmoil. Related : Trump culture warrior Ric Grenell calls for ‘diversity & inclusion’ after JD Vance got booed at Kennedy Center Related : Kennedy Center Honors to be renamed for Donald Trump, happening at ‘yet to be determined’ new venue The Kennedy Center’s closure will halt performances at the nation’s flagship performing arts complex. The period leading up to that decision has been marked by declining ticket sales and a wave of artist withdrawals, with some performers pulling their scheduled appearances after the administration reshaped the institution’s leadership and programming. The annual Kennedy Center Honors, long considered one of the most prestigious events in American cultural life, also saw lower television viewership this year than in past broadcasts. Trump used the White House gathering to praise Grenell, who oversaw the institution during the past year. Addressing reports that Grenell had been fired from the role, Trump insisted the departure was planned. “There was a story that he got fired. He didn’t get fired,” Trump said, describing Grenell’s tenure as a temporary assignment meant to help stabilize the organization during the transition. Trump added that he was already looking for another assignment for Grenell. “I’m looking for your next venture,” the president told the room. Grenell, who previously served as Trump’s ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence, is one of the president’s most prominent and vigorous gay supporters and has remained a close political ally during both of Trump’s administrations. Trump said that Matt Floca, a facilities and construction executive who has been involved in the renovation planning, will take on a leading role managing the project and helping run the institution moving forward. The president’s remarks frequently wandered far from the performing arts. At one point, Trump appeared to reveal private medical information about Rep. Neal Dunn, a Republican from Florida , while recounting a story about how the congressman received treatment from doctors connected to the White House. Johnson had begun describing Dunn as facing a “grim diagnosis.” Trump interrupted to say the lawmaker had been expected to die within months. “He would be dead by June,” Trump said, elaborating on the diagnosis. Johnson quickly interjected that the details were not meant to be public. “Okay. That wasn’t public,” the speaker said, appearing uneasy as the president continued recounting the story. Johnson tried to steer the anecdote toward Dunn’s recovery, crediting Trump with encouraging medical intervention and helping connect the congressman with physicians who ultimately treated him. Related : Gay Republican group invited by Ric Grenell heckled and booed musician Yasmin Williams at Kennedy Center Related : Trump's gay Kennedy Center president demands $1M from performer who canceled Christmas Eve show Trump then joked about the political implications, noting that Dunn’s vote mattered in the narrowly divided House. “I did it for him first and for the vote second,” Trump said. “But it was a close second, actually.” Trump repeatedly referred to the venue as the “Trump Kennedy Center," renamed after him last fall, against the law that established the memorial. He said the building requires extensive repairs, including replacing aging mechanical systems and installing new seating and stone finishes, and argued that temporarily shutting the complex down would allow the work to proceed more quickly. “The right way to do it is just close it and fix it and open it,” Trump said. At times, the president’s remarks drifted further afield, including praise for wealthy donors seated in the room and previews of unrelated spectacles he said were coming to Washington, including a planned Ultimate Fighting Championship event near the White House and a possible IndyCar race around the Capitol. The Kennedy Center overhaul has become one of the more unusual cultural initiatives of Trump’s second term. After installing allies in key leadership roles last year, the administration moved quickly to reshape the institution’s programming and finances, a shift that has drawn criticism from artists and arts advocates who say the White House is politicizing the country’s national performing arts center. “We’re rebuilding it,” Trump said. “And when it’s finished, it’s going to be far better than it was when it was originally built.”