The Trump-Kennedy Center was targeted in what officials described as a “calculated, malicious attack” early Friday after a dark, “toxic” substance was deliberately poured across the venue’s outdoor ice rink, forcing the cancellation of a scheduled performance and prompting a law enforcement investigation.
According to Center leadership, a brown-black chemical was dumped onto the ice surface sometime overnight, severely damaging the rink and rendering it unsafe for use.
“This was not a protest — this was vandalism,” Trump-Kennedy Center officials said, emphasizing that the incident appeared deliberate and targeted.
“Today, a targeted attack on the Trump Kennedy Center vandalized and destroyed our outdoor arena, causing severe damage that we unfortunately must cancel tonight’s performance,” Roma Daravi, the Center’s vice president of public relations, said in a statement to Fox News on Friday. “We have turned over video footage to the authorities who are investigating this calculated, malicious attack and will hold those responsible accountable.”
Daravi added that Center staff are “working feverishly” to complete repairs in hopes that programming can resume as soon as possible.
In a separate statement posted to X earlier Friday, Daravi wrote that the outdoor plaza had been “doused with a toxic chemical” and said the Center “will not tolerate violence or hate at America’s cultural center.”
🚨Trump @kencen was targeted today in a malicious act of vandalism🚨
Our outdoor plaza was doused with a toxic chemical and severely damaged (see photo). We will not tolerate violence or hate at America’s cultural center. Authorities are investigating and those responsible will… pic.twitter.com/dIcd0OcKcL
— Roma Daravi (@romadaravi) February 21, 2026
The exact chemical used in the attack has not yet been publicly identified. Authorities have not named a suspect or announced a motive. U.S. Park Police are investigating the incident.
The vandalism forced the cancellation of Friday night’s performance by Le Patin Libre, a Canadian artistic skating company scheduled to perform at the venue throughout the weekend.
Richard Grenell, president of the Trump-Kennedy Center, reacted angrily to the attack, calling it part of a broader campaign of harassment directed at the institution since its leadership overhaul. “This is so sad & unnecessary,” Grenell wrote on X Friday morning. He accused Democrats of urging artists to cancel performances and “attacking the Center non-stop.”
“It’s a calculated campaign,” Grenell added. “And now they have mentally unstable people taking action — and vandalizing the Center.” Grenell also warned that the venue has received “serious death threats and constant harassment” in recent months, urging “commonsense Democrats” to speak out before the escalation turns deadly.
The incident comes amid major changes at the historic performing arts complex. In December 2025, the board of trustees voted unanimously to rename the venue the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. President Donald Trump was later elected chairman of the board. Earlier this month, Trump announced the venue would undergo a temporary closure beginning July 4 to allow for a sweeping restoration and modernization project.
Despite Friday’s vandalism, Trump-Kennedy Center officials said they remain committed to restoring the damaged arena quickly and resuming scheduled programming. Violence and destruction, leadership emphasized, “will not be tolerated,” and those responsible “will be held accountable.”
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