President Trump assumed leadership of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington just last week. However, his administration is swiftly outlining plans to transform the programming of this renowned institution.
One of the most notable initiatives is a celebration of Christ scheduled for December. Richard Grenell, recently appointed by Mr. Trump as the Kennedy Center’s new president, informed a conservative audience on Friday that the center would host “a significant celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas.”
“Isn’t it extraordinary to think we will honor Christ at Christmas with a grand traditional production, celebrating the essence of what we all cherish during Christmastime, which is the birth of Christ?” Mr. Grenell expressed during the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Md.
The Kennedy Center has a history of hosting Christmas-themed events.
In the previous December, the center featured “A Candlelight Christmas” by the Washington Chorus; “A Family Christmas” by the Choral Arts Society of Washington; and “Go Tell It,” a Christmas celebration by the Alfred Street Baptist Church, a notable Black church in Virginia. Recently, that church announced the cancellation of its Christmas concert this year due to concerns about the new leadership’s stance against the “longstanding tradition of honoring artistic expression across all backgrounds.”
Mr. Grenell’s remarks marked his initial public statements regarding his agenda as the Kennedy Center’s new leader. His appointment is part of a series of remarkable measures taken by Mr. Trump to assert control over the Kennedy Center, which has maintained a bipartisan reputation over its 54-year existence.
Mr. Trump, who avoided attending the Kennedy Center Honors during his first term after criticism from some honored artists, surprised the cultural sector this month by removing all Biden appointees from the center’s board and appointing himself as chairman, alongside ousting major donor David M. Rubenstein. Subsequently, the new board dismissed Deborah F. Rutter, the center’s president for over a decade, and appointed Mr. Grenell, a loyalist who served as ambassador to Germany during the president’s first term.
On Friday, Mr. Grenell criticized Ms. Rutter, claiming she was overcompensated and left the center in a precarious financial situation. (According to public tax documents, her compensation for the fiscal year ending September 2023 was around $1.4 million.)
Journalist Dasha Burns from Politico, who interviewed Mr. Grenell during the conference, inquired about his compensation in the position.
“Significantly less,” he responded.
Ms. Rutter declined to comment through a spokeswoman.
The Kennedy Center operates as a public-private partnership, with only a small fraction of its $268 million budget—approximately $43 million or 16 percent—coming from the federal government. This federal funding is designated for operations, upkeep, and maintenance of the federally owned property, which serves as a memorial to John F. Kennedy.
Mr. Grenell referred to that federal support when discussing Mr. Trump’s vision for the center. “If you receive public funding, public engagement is necessary,” he stated.
He also clarified that, contrary to some media interpretations, the cancellation of a May concert featuring the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., occurred before he and Mr. Trump gained control of the Kennedy Center.
When Ms. Burns questioned Mr. Grenell about the possibility of welcoming the Gay Men’s Chorus in the future, he did not provide a clear answer. “With public funding, you need to demonstrate the capability to generate revenue,” he insisted. “We’re facing financial constraints.”
Since Mr. Trump’s takeover of the center, Issa Rae has canceled an engagement, and several notable artists, including star soprano Renée Fleming and musician Ben Folds, have resigned from their advisory roles.
Nonetheless, Mr. Grenell asserted that the Kennedy Center would successfully attract renowned artists. “We already have them,” he claimed.
When asked why Mr. Trump selected him for the position, Mr. Grenell characterized himself as a cultural enthusiast who values “various forms of art.”
In response to a query about his ideal performance at the Kennedy Center, he mentioned: “Dolly Parton.” (Ms. Parton received an honor at the Kennedy Center in 2006.)
He conveyed his aspirations for the Kennedy Center using familiar phrasing: “We aim to restore the greatness of art.”
