In February, President Trump broke protocol by dismissing the leadership at the Kennedy Center and appointing a new Board of Trustees.
Ron Blunt/Kennedy Center
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Ron Blunt/Kennedy Center
President Trump is set to visit the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today, during which he will also conduct a board meeting as the Center’s newly appointed chair.
Last month, Trump executed a significant shake-up of the Kennedy Center’s leadership, removing the previously established Board of Trustees and ousting long-standing chair David Rubenstein. Deborah Rutter, who had led the cultural center for over ten years, was also dismissed.
President Trump appointed a completely new board which, in an unusual turn of events, elected him as the Kennedy Center Board Chair.
The Kennedy Center has not disclosed the agenda for today’s meeting with NPR, but The New York Times reports that Trump wishes to have greater sway over the selection process for Kennedy Center Honorees and the board will discuss modifications to the committee responsible for nominations.
Since 1978, The Kennedy Center Honors have celebrated the lifetime artistic accomplishments of individuals and institutions such as Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, and the Apollo Theater. During his first term, Trump chose not to participate in the annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
In 2017, he participated in a Fourth of July concert at the Kennedy Center, which was hosted by First Baptist Church Dallas. The church’s choir and orchestra performed a new song featuring Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan in the lyrics. During the concert, President Trump addressed the audience in favor of “religious freedom” while criticizing the “fake media.”
Recently, Trump has expressed his discontent with the Kennedy Center’s programming, labeling it as “woke” and has promised to implement changes in the future. “We need to correct it,” he stated to reporters aboard Air Force One after a weekend in Florida.
Numerous artists scheduled to perform at the Kennedy Center have canceled their appearances in response to the new leadership changes, including comedian Issa Rae, folk musician Rhiannon Giddens, and the acclaimed musical Hamilton.
Today’s board meeting comes after Vice President JD Vance’s appearance at the Kennedy Center last week, where he and second lady Usha Vance were met with boos from the audience during a National Symphony Orchestra concert. The second lady has recently been appointed to the Board of Trustees.
Jennifer Vanasco edited this story.
