President Trump's Kennedy Center renovation would polish its Carrara marble facade, remodel its grand halls and theaters, and likely send marquee events offsite over the next few years, according to 180 pages of plans first obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: It's the first deep look at Trump's proposed overhaul.

• The board meets today to consider it.

🔎 Zoom in: The internal docs call for $24.7 million to upgrade the Concert Hall, which seats 2,465 people and holds a $2 million pipe organ.

• A "Front of the House Renewal" would give spaces like the Grand Foyer their first significant renovation since the 1990s.
• Throughout the building, the project would refurbish aging infrastructure like elevators and plumbing systems.
• "The state of disrepair is significant and escalating," says a two-slide construction assessment prepared by Virginia-based Delta Consulting Group.

📑 The big picture: The consulting group prepared two renovation options for the Kennedy Center board, chaired by Trump.

• The first option: A four-year renovation that would partially close the building in phases, allowing the National Symphony Orchestra to perform on site.
• That option would balloon the total cost to $560 million, more than double the $257 million Congress already approved.

The second option: Close the main building for two years, sending the NSO "offsite through regional partner venues, touring and digital broadcasts," the report says. The Kennedy Center Honors and Mark Twain Prize would also move elsewhere.

• The $257 million approved by Congress would fund 90% of those plans. Consultants suggest fundraising an additional $30 million.

📊 Between the lines: It's unclear what'll happen to employees during the project, with the report noting that the second option "enables staff reduction and a reset of expenses."

• "Key staff will be redeployed in alignment with the needs of the Center during renovations," it adds.

🟥 The Grand Foyer — with its iconic red carpet and soaring ceilings — would get "new furniture throughout," "less sheer" draperies and "new featured marble flooring," according to a development plan prepared by JLL.

• The plans devote $48 million to restoring the Concert Hall, Opera House, Eisenhower Theater, Family Theater, Terrace Theater, and Theater Lab.
• Theater lobbies and lounges will get new flooring and lighting fixtures.
• The box office would be relocated, and a new coffee shop is planned.
• VIPs would get their own restroom — no more using the public facilities — inside a renovated Reception Room.

What we're watching: Whether there'll be any distinctly Trump touches on the remodeling. The documents sent to board members are largely nuts-and-bolts plans and blueprints, offering few clues so far.

• Last year, for example, the building's formerly gold exterior columns were repainted white.

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July was the hottest month on record for the contiguous U.S., per new federal data dating back to 1895.

By the numbers: Last month's average temperature was 76.89°F, topping the 76.77°F mark set in July 1936.

• That's 3.3°F warmer than the 1901-2000 average.

The big picture: July featured a series of "heat domes" across the country that trapped warm air beneath them, fueling several extreme heat events.

• Researchers have found that climate change is making extreme heat events more common and more intense — but they're also linked to phenomena and patterns like El Niño.

😷 Zoom in: D.C. clocked some of the worst air quality in the world twice in July, thanks to heat combined with record-breaking July 4th fireworks and later, Canadian wildfire smoke

What we're watching: NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is calling for an elevated chance of above-average temperatures for most of the continental U.S. through August.

• It's also possible that 2026 will set a new record for the hottest year globally.

A Virginia woman and U.S. citizen says an ICE agent pointed a gun at her during an enforcement operation in Falls Church, an encounter she captured on video that quickly spread online. DHS says she interfered with the operation using her vehicle, which she denies.

• "It really felt like a Renée Good situation," she told the Washington Post, referring to the mother who was fatally shot by ICE in January.

🏨 The new owners of D.C.'s long-shuttered Hotel Harrington have started renovating the historic downtown property near the White House. KHP Capital Partners bought the 242-room hotel for $14.4 million last month. (WBJ)

🚨 Authorities announced six arrests in an alleged organized retail theft ring accused of stealing roughly $500,000 in merchandise from more than 100 DMV stores. (WTOP)

🦀 Maryland officials say the state has reached a major pollution reduction benchmark, marking progress in the long-running effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay. (Fox 5)

🫦 The "suspicious device" that shut down streets and summoned a bomb squad to Northwest D.C. yesterday turned out to be sex-picious: an adult toy. (Fox 5)

There's a new way to get out on the water this summer — no captain needed.

Why it matters: Sea Suite Cruises, the local boat company behind D.C.'s tiki boats, taco floats and more, has expanded its fleet with 10 electric Duffy boats that individuals can rent at the Wharf and captain themselves (no license necessary).

State of sail: The electric boats seat up to 10, rent by the hour starting at $200, and are BYO food and drinks (including beer and wine).

• The 21-foot boats are outfitted with comfy seating, a communal table, cooler, speaker and weather protection.

Zoom out: D.C.'s boating scene has cast off in recent years.

• Earlier this month, the Potomac Water Taxi launched new service between The Wharf, National Harbor and Mount Vernon, which recently wrapped up a $40 million revitalization.

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Snow Crane, the summer's hottest cold treat pop-up, returns to Capitol Hill this Sunday through September.

Why it matters: Chef Takeshi Nishikawa is drawing long lines at Little Pearl for his artful Japanese ice creams, floats and matcha — so popular he's adding a second residency.

Dig in: Nishikawa, formerly of Michelin-anointed Rose's Restaurant Group, launched his own ice cream venture: hyper-seasonal, minimalist and wildly addictive.

The intrigue: Menus stay under wraps until they drop, but the format never changes: two ice cream flavors, two beverages (one always matcha) and two ice cream floats.

• One menu item features a rare Ukiyo-Banare melon — one of just 30 grown annually in Japan — with fruits selling for about $300.

If you go: Sunday through Tuesday, 10am–2pm.

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