President Trump promised major changes at the Kennedy Center during a Monday visit, weeks after a newly appointed board elected him chairman and Ric Grenell was installed as interim executive director. Trump criticized the building’s condition and past management, and some performers, including the producers of “Hamilton,” canceled events after the takeover.
Trump leads board meeting and criticizes past management
President Donald Trump visited the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, March 17, 2025, and presided over a meeting of its board of trustees, promising to remake the Washington venue. The visit came about a month after a newly constituted board, filled with Trump appointees who replaced trustees named by Democratic presidents, elected him chairman.
Trump criticized the condition of the building and blamed past leadership. “It’s in tremendous disrepair, as is a lot of the rest of our country, most of it because of bad management,” he said. “We’re going to make our capitol great again, just like we’re going to make our country great again.”
“I’ve never realized this was in such bad shape,” Trump added. “We’re going to make a lot of changes, including the seats, the décor, pretty much everything needs a lot of work.”
Performances canceled after the takeover
Some artists canceled events after Trump took control of the center. Actress and writer Issa Rae canceled a scheduled appearance, and the producers of the Broadway musical “Hamilton” called off a planned 2026 run. “Hamilton” producer Jeffrey Seller said in a statement that the takeover meant “decades of the Kennedy Center neutrality destroyed.”
Asked about the cancellation, Trump said: “I never liked Hamilton very much. But we are going to have some really good shows.”
Trump has criticized what he calls “woke” programming at the center and has said it will no longer host drag shows.
New leadership team
Trump installed Ric Grenell, his envoy for special missions and a longtime ally, as the center’s interim executive director. Grenell has said the center faces serious financial problems and has pledged to put it on a sounder footing.
The new board includes several Trump allies, among them White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi, second lady Usha Vance, Sergio Gor, Fox News host Laura Ingraham and country singer Lee Greenwood. Several of them attended Monday’s meeting.
Comments on the building and costs
During his tour, Trump commented on the building’s exterior columns. “They were never covered. They were painted,” he said. According to the center’s website, the facade is made of Italian marble, and the building was designed by architect Edward Durell Stone.
Trump also said Greenwood had wanted to perform at the meeting, but the union rules made it too expensive. “They wanted $30,000 to move a piano. So, you can’t have that,” he said.
About the Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center opened in 1971 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. It hosts concerts, theater, dance and other performances and is home to the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera. It receives federal funding for building maintenance and operations, while most of its programming is paid for through ticket sales and private donations.
Vice President Vance booed at concert
Days before Trump’s visit, Vice President JD Vance and Usha Vance were booed by some audience members when they arrived at a National Symphony Orchestra performance at the center. Grenell responded on social media with a post criticizing the audience for being intolerant of different political views.
What’s next for the Kennedy Center?
With Trump as chairman and his allies on the board, the Kennedy Center is expected to see changes to its programming, management and building. Supporters say new leadership will improve the center’s finances and appeal to wider audiences. Critics, including some artists who have canceled appearances, say politics could overshadow the center’s role as a nonpartisan home for the arts.
Source: ABC 17 News (CNN)
