The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., released a statement in response to President Donald Trump‘s announcement Friday that he plans to fire board members and name himself chair of the iconic institution.
The Center explained that while the president does have the authority to replace board members, these actions would be unprecedented—and that it had not received any direct communication about the proposed changes.
“There is nothing in the Center’s statute that would prevent a new administration from replacing board members; however, this would be the first time such action has been taken,” the Center said, noting that the chair is typically elected by other board members.
After announcing the overhaul on Truth Social, the president sent termination notices to multiple members of the organization’s board, including Chairman David M. Rubenstein, who he said “do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
The Kennedy Center said that some members did receive termination notices but that the organization itself has received no official communication from the White House.
Trump did not attend a single Kennedy Center Honors ceremony during his first presidency.
On Friday, Trump blasted the Kennedy Center on Truth Social for allegedly featuring “Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth—THIS WILL STOP.”
Trump later trolled the Center on Truth Social with an AI-generated image of himself as a conductor with a caption that reads, “Welcome to the New Kennedy Center!”
Donald Trump as Kennedy Center conductor / Truth Social
“Since our doors opened in 1971, we have had a collaborative relationship with every presidential administration,” the statement said. “Since that time, the Kennedy Center has had a bi-partisan board of trustees that has supported the arts in a non-partisan fashion.”
