The board of the Kennedy Center voted Wednesday afternoon to elect President Trump as its new chair, marking a shift in the center’s governing body and programming as he moves away from what he considers “woke culture,” sources informed CBS News.
Following Mr. Trump’s announcement last week regarding his plans to replace the Kennedy Center’s chairman and board of trustees with himself, the White House has started to fill the currently vacant board member positions, according to sources. Additional members are also expected to be added to the board.
Mr. Trump joined the meeting via telephone to present his vision for the Kennedy Center.
The board additionally voted to remove Deborah Rutter, who has been the president of the Kennedy Center since 2014, as per three sources. Rutter had previously announced her intention to leave at the end of 2025. She also participated in the Wednesday meeting.
This week, the White House began filling several open board seats quietly, with some current members anticipated to remain, sources indicated.
Mr. Trump has appointed his ally Ric Grenell as the interim executive director, although his time in the position is expected to be short-lived, according to two sources.
However, the board named Grenell as president to succeed Rutter on Wednesday.
The president desires productions to avoid leaning into “woke culture,” as he believes they have in the past. Nevertheless, some programs will continue as scheduled, such as Haydn’s “Creation,” which is based on the Biblical creation narrative and will be performed by the Choral Arts orchestra and symphonic chorus, one source stated.
The lineup—including theater, music, singing, and dance—will persist. However, Mr. Trump wants the performances to resonate with what he sees as a broader, more inclusive, and balanced audience rather than catering solely to one segment of the population, one person explained.
Certain content on the Kennedy Center’s website is also expected to be removed, including references to the center’s “standing on the traditional land” of the Nactotchtank and Piscataway tribes.
Fundraising efforts for the center have reportedly been underwhelming, according to two sources. The fundraising team managed to raise more than $90 million last year, while the federal government contributed around $45 million. The rest of the budget was supplemented by ticket sales and other revenue.
David Rubenstein, philanthropist and co-founder of the Carlyle Group, has led the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees for 14 years and announced his intention to step down from the board, effective September 2026.
Deborah Rutter, who has served as the Kennedy Center’s president since 2014, also announced her plans to depart at the conclusion of 2025.
Mr. Trump has had a strained relationship with the Kennedy Center, originating from his first term in office when he declared that he and first lady Melania Trump would not attend the Kennedy Center Honors in 2017 due to threats of a boycott from some award recipients that year.
According to its website, the Kennedy Center hosts over 2,200 performances, events, and exhibits each year, attracting over 2 million visitors annually. Established by Congress in 1958, the center serves as a living memorial to John F. Kennedy. Alongside the 36 members appointed by the president, trustees also consist of ex-officio leaders from the government designated by Congress.
Kierra Frazier contributed to this report.
