President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he has appointed Richard Grenell as the interim executive director of the John F. Kennedy Center. Grenell currently serves as a special envoy in the Trump administration.
Trump also mentioned that he will personally assume the role of chairman of the Kennedy Center and plans to soon announce new members of the board of directors.
In a social media post, Trump stated, “Richard and I both look forward to a Golden Age in Arts and Culture in America, and he will oversee the center’s day-to-day operations.”
He added, “Under my direction, we will make the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., great again… The Kennedy Center is a gem of America and must showcase the most brilliant stars from across the country on its stage.”
In his statement, Trump also indicated his intention to remove “drag shows or other anti-American propaganda” from the programs hosted by the cultural center. He pointed out, “Just last year, the Kennedy Center held drag shows specifically targeting our young people – this must come to an end.”
On February 7th, Trump announced the dismissal of several board members of the Kennedy Center, including the current chairman David Rubenstein, who did not align with his vision of the “Golden Age of Arts and Culture.” David Rubenstein, co-founder of global investment firm Carlyle Group, had been approved by the board to serve as chairman until September 2026. He was first elected as the chairman of the center in 2010 and has been re-elected each year since.
The Kennedy Center issued a statement stating that they have not yet received any official notification from the White House regarding the change in their board members, but confirmed that some board members have received dismissal notices from the Trump administration. The statement mentioned that since its establishment by Congress in 1958, board chairmen have always been appointed by board members, and stated, “There is no provision in the Kennedy Center’s charter that prohibits the new government from replacing board members; however, this is the first time the Kennedy Center Board has taken such action.”
Unlike past presidents, Trump did not attend the Kennedy Center’s annual Honors Awards ceremony during his first term. The White House explained at the time that Trump’s decision not to attend the event was to “ensure that the celebration of awardees is not subject to any political interference.”
Grenell previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to Germany, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Special Envoy for Kosovo-Serbia negotiations during Trump’s first presidential term. In December 2024, Trump appointed him as special envoy, responsible for executing specific missions, stating that Grenell “will be working in hotspot regions such as Venezuela and North Korea.” Last month, the President praised his efforts in securing the release of six American citizens detained in Venezuela.