It’s Not Shocking That This Happened After Trump Took Over the Kennedy Center

Matt Vespa | February 12, 2025 11:00 PM

President Donald J. Trump has taken over the Kennedy Center. It’s now official and complete. This center is now Trump’s domain after firing numerous board members and installing himself as chairman. The remaining members unanimously elected him and booted its current president (via NYT):

President Trump was made chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, he announced on Wednesday, cementing his grip on an institution that he recently purged of Biden appointees.
The center’s longtime president, Deborah F. Rutter, was then fired from her position, the center said. Richard Grenell, a Trump loyalist who was ambassador to Germany during the first Trump administration, was appointed the center’s interim president.
Mr. Trump posted on social media: “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!”
Mr. Grenell visited the center on Wednesday, according to an official at the center.
The center announced on Wednesday a new slate of board members — all appointed by Mr. Trump — and said in a statement that the new board elected Mr. Trump chairman and “terminated” Ms. Rutter’s contract.

And to no one’s surprise, some stars are resigning from their positions after this change in management (via The Hill):

At approximately the same time that Trump announced his chairmanship, 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 on Wednesday, saying he and the Kennedy Center’s staff encouraged “thousands of fresh new audiences to appreciate symphonic music.”
The award-winning opera singer and actress Renée Fleming said she would depart from her role as artistic adviser at large to the Kennedy Center.
She praised David Rubenstein, whom Trump replaced as chair, saying his leadership is “just one of the many ways he has contributed to America’s cultural and historic heritage. He is the greatest patriot I know.”
[…]
Shonda Rhimes, the renowned television writer and producer, also reportedly resigned from the board after serving as the Kennedy Center’s treasurer.