Allegations of No-Bid Contracts at the Kennedy Center Under President Trump

An 82-page submission filed under the Whistleblower Protection Act was sent to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, the committee’s top Democrat, wrote that the filing “raised ‘serious questions’ about whether public funds were being spent properly.” The submission prompted the senator to demand detailed information from the Kennedy Center about the renovations.

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The Center’s new procurement policy, adopted in November 2025, permits sole-source contracts when “circumstances beyond the center’s control require an immediate award” or when the “requirement is unique or has a compelling business interest.” Critics argue the language is vague and lacks oversight. Under this policy, Low Country Flooring of South Carolina received a five-year, $8 million flooring contract without competition. The company posted photos on Facebook showing staff praying with President Trump at the Center; a company official later remarked, “He asked, and the president said of course.”

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The Kennedy Center maintains that it “followed proper procedures and conducted exhaustive market research before vendor selection.” Cypress Painting Systems also installed President Trump’s name on the Center’s marble façade under a separate arrangement, which was later removed by a federal judge.

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Senator Whitehouse and other observers view the relaxed procurement standards as a “dangerously vague” departure from federal contracting regulations, suggesting potential favoritism toward politically connected firms. The whistleblower complaint frames the Kennedy Center case within a broader pattern of alleged no-bid contracts across Trump-era federal projects, including the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation.

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