President Trump Elected Chair of Kennedy Center as Its Longtime President Is Fired

President Donald Trump was elected chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., he announced on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Wednesday (Feb. 12). He replaces financier David M. Rubenstein as chair.

Deborah F. Rutter, who had served as president of the Kennedy Center since 2014, was subsequently fired from her position. Rutter had announced last month that she intended to step down at the end of 2025.

Trump’s Truth Social post read: “President Donald J. Trump was just unanimously elected Chairman of the Board of the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The President stated, ‘It is a Great Honor to be Chairman of The Kennedy Center, especially with this amazing Board of Trustees. We will make The Kennedy Center a very special and exciting place!’”

On Monday, Trump posted on social media that he would appoint Richard Grenell, who was ambassador to Germany during the first Trump administration, as the center’s interim executive director, saying that he “shares my Vision for a GOLDEN AGE of American Arts and Culture” and would make sure there was no more “ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA.”

On Wednesday, shortly after Trump was elected chairman, singer and songwriter Ben Folds said he would resign his post as an adviser to the National Symphony Orchestra, which is overseen by the Kennedy Center. “Given developments at the Kennedy Center, effective today I am resigning as artistic adviser to the N.S.O. Not for me,” Folds wrote on Instagram.

The Kennedy Center oversees the National Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Washington National Opera, in addition to presenting theatrical shows, the Kennedy Center Honors and more.

In his first term as president, Trump broke with precedent by not attending the annual Kennedy Center Honors, something all previous presidents had done since the honors program began in 1978, minus rare cases when they were called away by urgent events. Trump also was a frequent critic of the Center’s programming.

“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday (Feb. 7).

He continued: “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. We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP! Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP. 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!”

Trump’s social media reference to “Drag Shows” appeared to be a reference to a show the center hosted last year called “Dragtastic Dress-up,” which was aimed at LGBTQ+ youth.

The Center has in recent days scrubbed its site of references to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Trump has been highly critical of such programs.

The Kennedy Center has historically been run by bipartisan boards. On Monday (Feb. 10), the Trump administration officially removed 18 board members who had been appointed by former President Joseph R. Biden Jr.

The members removed include some of Biden’s closest aides — Karine Jean-Pierre, the former White House press secretary, and political strategist Mike Donilon — as well as artists including Grammy and Oscar winner Jon Batiste.

The board is now entirely comprised of Trump appointees, including the president’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles; Dan Scavino, a longtime Trump aide; and Usha Vance, the wife of Vice President JD Vance.