Updated at 7:48 p.m. on February 7, 2025
When Donald Trump first entered Washington, the arts community embarrassed him with boycotts and protests. Now, having returned to power, Trump is determined to avoid a repeat of such incidents. He plans to announce the dismissal of several members of the Kennedy Center board, many of whom were appointed by former President Joe Biden. Current board members include Democratic political strategist Mike Donilon, former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, and Democratic National Committee finance chair Chris Korge. Discussions have been held about installing Trump himself as chair of the board, according to sources familiar with the situation who requested anonymity.
A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the impending reshuffle.
Several hours after the initial report, Trump confirmed the plan via Truth Social, declaring his intention to make the Kennedy Center "GREAT AGAIN" by removing multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees who do not align with his vision. He announced that the board would see a "new Chairman," who would be none other than "DONALD J. TRUMP!" His post emphasized that the Kennedy Center should reflect the "brightest STARS" and positioned the institution's future as one where "THE BEST IS YET TO COME!"
Prior to Trump’s announcement, Eileen Andrews, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations, stated that the center had not received formal notifications from the White House.
Trump never attended the Kennedy Center's annual gala during his first term due to opposition from artists. He was notably absent from the most celebrated cultural institution in Washington, with artists actively protesting his administration's policies. A source close to the planning stated, "The attitude is different this time. The attitude is, 'Go fuck yourself.'"
Trump's previous conflicts with the arts community extend further back. In his first year in office, all 17 members of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities resigned over Trump's response to the Charlottesville incident. Rather than replacing them, Trump dissolved the committee entirely. Later, when artists boycotted White House receptions, Trump canceled these events and became the first sitting president not to attend the Kennedy Center gala.
Trump’s tenure also saw minimal engagement with the National Medal of Arts, awarding just nine medals as opposed to Obama's 76. Despite expressing mixed feelings about federal funding for the Kennedy Center, Trump acknowledged its importance while facilitating a $25 million funding boost as part of a COVID-relief bill, which he later criticized as "inappropriate."
If he becomes chair of the Kennedy Center board, Trump would replace David Rubenstein, who plans to step down after September 2026. Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter has also announced her intention to step down at the year's end following Trump's second inauguration.
Beyond the Kennedy Center, Trump is taking an assertive approach to various cultural institutions. Within hours of his second inauguration, he abolished the revived President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and began enforcing his views on government-funded cultural initiatives.
In an ambitious move, Trump signed an executive order to restart the planning for a national "Garden of American Heroes," and established Task Force 250 to plan for America's 250th anniversary celebrations. Proposed events include a "Great American State Fair" and a new national high school sports contest, "Patriot Games."
While Trump's newfound interest in the arts represents a shift, during his first term, he frequently attempted to cut funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Humanities, seeing congressional opposition. This time around, the arts community is cautiously optimistic that Trump's interest in the 250th celebration could secure a "very good lifeline" for arts funding, as indicated by Nina Ozlu Tunceli, a top lobbyist at the nonprofit Arts Action Fund.
Nonetheless, Trump's executive order terminating all diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the federal government poses challenges, particularly as these programs were emphasized under Biden's administration. Observers expect significant changes, with key initiatives on equity likely to be scaled back or eliminated altogether.
