WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts -- newly renamed the Trump Kennedy Center -- will halt entertainment operations for roughly two years beginning in July to allow construction.

"If we don't close, the quality of Construction will not be nearly as good, and the time to completion, because of interruptions with Audiences from the many Events using the Facility, will be much longer. The temporary closure will produce a much faster and higher quality result!" Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.