Officials at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts were reportedly aware of significant structural problems well before the facility’s sudden closure this month, according to a letter sent to Congress by a group of former employees. The letter, signed by attorney David Seide on behalf of anonymous whistleblowers, alleges that the center’s executive director and chief operating officer, Matt Floca, failed to prioritize roofing repairs and halted an already funded remediation plan in April.
Floca, who took on a leadership role at the center in early 2024, denied these claims, asserting that recent inspections revealed previously unidentified damage. He noted in a September court declaration that the center faced “acute risks to public safety” following an inspection that cited deterioration of a roof terrace canopy and a partial ceiling collapse. The whistleblowers contend that these safety hazards were known to Floca well in advance, pointing out that he had requested and secured funding over a year ago to address the issues.
The funding referenced in the letter came from a congressional appropriation included in a 2025 tax and spending bill signed by then-President Donald Trump, which allocated $257 million for the center’s maintenance and repairs. According to the whistleblowers, despite having these funds, Floca halted the remediation process six months ago.
The letter has intensified scrutiny of the Kennedy Center, a Potomac River waterfront venue that has become a flashpoint amid efforts by Trump in his second term to reshape key Washington institutions. Trump appointed allies to the center’s board and permanently affixed his name to the building—an addition later ordered removed by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who ruled the signage was illegally installed.
The Trump-aligned board subsequently voted to close the Kennedy Center indefinitely for repairs, just hours after Cooper blocked plans to reinstall Trump’s name. Cooper has also mandated that the center provide 30 days’ notice ahead of any major physical changes to the building, including potential demolition, a course Trump has hinted at. Additionally, the center must submit a status report by Friday detailing the temporary closure and emergency repair efforts.
In response to the whistleblower allegations, a Kennedy Center spokesperson shared a statement by Floca emphasizing patron and staff safety as paramount. He acknowledged longstanding leaks in the roof overhang but maintained that the extent of the internal damage only became clear in recent months. Floca also clarified that the work initially planned for remediation was reassigned to a more comprehensive approach after a contractor’s estimate far exceeded expectations—not because the repairs were deemed unnecessary.
Separately, Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's top Democrat, wrote to Floca following receipt of the whistleblower letter. Whitehouse stated the documents suggested Kennedy Center leadership had “hoarded” funds allocated for repairs while attributing accountability to prior management. He referenced his prior investigation into alleged cronyism and financial mismanagement under Trump’s chairmanship and indicated the new materials reveal “deeper financial mismanagement.”
A spokesperson for the Republican majority on the committee did not respond to a request for comment. The controversy continues as the Kennedy Center grapples with structural concerns, leadership disputes, and legal challenges tied to its governance and physical state.