New Kennedy Center board elects Trump as chairman

President Trump says he's now the chair of the Kennedy Center following a vote by its board after, in an unprecedented move, he named himself to the position.

"It is a Great Honor to be Chairman of The Kennedy Center, especially with this amazing Board of Trustees," Trump wrote Wednesday on Truth Social.

"We will make The Kennedy Center a very special and exciting place!” the president said.

A White House official told The Hill the president participated in the board meeting on Wednesday to elect him.

The Kennedy Center confirmed Trump's election as its board chairman in a Wednesday news release, saying the leadership changes were "effectively immediately."

Around the same time as Trump's social media post, musician Ben Folds said he would resign as artistic adviser to the National Symphony Orchestra, "given developments at the Kennedy Center."

"It's been a wonderful 8 years" the former Ben Folds Five singer wrote on Instagram, saying he and the Kennedy Center's staff encouraged "thousands of fresh new audiences to appreciate symphonic music."

The election of a sitting president came after a surprise announcement last week by Trump, saying he would "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!” he said on Friday.

The move to make himself chair replaced billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein. While the co-founder of the private equity firm Carlyle Group has ties to former President Biden, Rubenstein previously told ITK, “I don’t support any candidate any time anywhere. I don’t give any money to politicians, no matter who they are. I’ve never given a penny to anybody running for president of the United States."

On Monday, Trump said he tapped Richard Grenell, his envoy for special missions, as the interim executive director of the Kennedy Center.

That same day, Trump said, "We took over the Kennedy Center. We didn’t like what they were showing."

“We’re going to make sure that it’s good and it’s not going to be woke. There’s no more woke in this country," he said.

Online he added: "Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP."

Alex Gangitano contributed.
Updated at 4:30 p.m. EST

Topics

New Kennedy Center board makes Trump chairman, prompting Shonda Rhimes and others to resign

A new board of Trump allies makes him chairman of the Kennedy Center and fires the arts organization's longtime leader, Deborah Rutter.
Los Angeles Times - 3h
Kennedy Center board votes to elect Trump as new chair

President accepts ‘great honor’ after terminating Biden appointees and installing loyalist as interim leader. Donald Trump has been named the chair of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ...
The Guardian - 4h
How Trump is reshaping the Kennedy Center, moving away from "woke culture"

President Trump is changing the composition of the Kennedy Center's board — and wants to change the types of performances the center shows.
CBS News - 6h
Trump names Grenell as interim Kennedy Center executive director

President Trump on Monday named Richard Grenell, his envoy for special missions, the interim executive director of the Kennedy Center days after he named himself chair of a new board. “I am pleased ...
The Hill - 2d
Trump Says He Will Install Himself as Kennedy Center Chairman

The move by the president, whose authority to make the changes was not clear, is the latest attempt to bring a Washington institution under his control.
The New York Times - 4d
Trump to fire multiple Kennedy Center board members, name himself chair

President Trump did not say which board members at the Kennedy Center he plans to terminate.
CBS News - 5d
Trump to make himself chair of the Kennedy Center, says he'll dismiss board members

President Donald Trump announced his intention to appoint himself chair of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The org says it has 'received no official communications' about ...
Los Angeles Times - 5d
Trump to name himself new Kennedy Center board chair

President Trump said Friday he would end the terms of multiple members of the Kennedy Center board and make himself chair of a new board, putting himself at the helm of the Washington, D.C., ...
The Hill - 5d