President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he is firing most of the board of trustees for the Kennedy Center, and naming himself chairman.
“We are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote on his social media website Truth Social. “I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center said it was aware of the president’s post but had “received no official communications from the White House regarding changes to our board of trustees”.
Patrick Semansky/AP
AP
Why it matters
The current chairman is David M. Rubenstein, the Baltimore Orioles owner, who was originally appointed to the board by President George W. Bush in 2010. He was subsequently reappointed by President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden.
Rubenstein had announced plans to retire in January 2025, but he pushed that date back until September 2026 after Trump’s election victory.
The rest of the board is a mixture of Trump, Biden and Obama allies.
It includes Biden’s White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, former Obama adviser Stephanie Cutter, as well as Trump’s new attorney general Pam Bondi, and Lee Greenwood, whose song “God Bless the USA,” was repeatedly featured during his rallies. The board treasurer is television producer Shonda Rhimes.
Trump, who has not identified who on the board he is firing aside from Rubenstein, claims he is terminating them because they don’t share his vision for a “Golden Age” of the arts.
What to know
Trump said he will be in charge of programming at the national cultural center going forward.
One major change he promised, was that he planned to put an end to drag shows.
“Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP,” he wrote on Truth Social.
According to its website, the center hosted a “Drag Brunch” last November, and held a June preshow titled “A Drag Salute to Divas.”
The Bidens, the Obamas, the Bushes, and many other First Families have attended the annual Kennedy Center Honors ceremonies during their terms.
However, Trump and Melania did not attend the ceremony during his first term.
That may be due, in part, after many artists protested against his first administration and threatened to boycott his White House events.
There has already been a strong backlash to the announcement, with some asking if the president even has the legal power to fire the board and appoint himself.
What is The Kennedy Center?
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was opened in 1971, by then-President Nixon, in tribute to JFK, a lifelong advocate for the arts before his assassination.
Serving as the United States’ national cultural center, in Washington D.C. it is one of the country’s premier destinations for the performing arts, featuring a wide range of performances, including theater, ballet, music, and opera.
The Kennedy Center offers educational programs and hosts the annual Kennedy Center Honors to celebrate significant contributions to the arts in America.
What people are saying
Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social social media site: “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
The Kennedy Center said, in response to Trump taking over: “We have received no official communications from the White House regarding changes to our board of trustees. We are aware that some members of our board have received termination notices from the administration.”
Mike Nellis, former senior advisor to Kamala Harris, posted on X: “Trump appointing himself Chair of the Kennedy Center makes sense when you remember Musk is running the country and he’s bored as hell.”
Collin Rugg, news personality and co-owner of Trending Politics, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: ” Trump terminates the chairman of the Kennedy Center in D.C., appoints himself as the new chairman then immediately bans drag shows targeting youth. One of the greatest trolls of all time.”
Phil Williams, an investigative reporter with News Channel 5, posted on X: “President Trump’s Kennedy Center announcement appears to be blatantly illegal. U.S. Code says general trustees “shall hold office … for a term of 6 years” – nothing about the President having power to remove – and the Chairperson is appointed by the Board. A president cannot appoint himself.”
Republicans against Trump posted on X on Friday: “We’re rapidly looking more and more like a totalitarian country. Trump just purged the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees, firing its members, including the chair, and installing himself as the new chair, claiming that it was because they “do not share our vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
What’s next
Trump said he will “soon announce a new board” for the Kennedy Center.
