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File photo: US President Donald Trump (Picture credit: AP)
US President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is firing multiple board members from the John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts and appointing himself as chairman, a move that breaks with tradition at one of the nation's leading cultural institutions.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote: “At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC, great again.
I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the board of trustees, including the chairman, who do not share our vision for a golden age in arts and culture. We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing chairman, Donald J Trump! Just last year, the Kennedy Centre featured Drag shows specifically targeting our youth, This will stop. The Kennedy Centre is an American Jewel and must reflect the brightest stars on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Centre, the best is yet to come!
Later, he also posted an AI-generated image of him in the centre and wrote, "Welcome to the New Kennedy Centre!
Trump also suggested he would dictate programming, saying the centre had previously hosted drag shows that he deemed inappropriate.
According to the news agency AP, the Kennedy Centre’s website confirms that in July 2024, it hosted "A Drag Salute to Divas", followed by a November Drag Brunch.
The Kennedy Centre’s board, which has 36 members, is split between Trump and Biden appointees. Some board members appointed by former President Joe Biden have reportedly received termination notices from Sergio Gor, head of Trump’s presidential personnel office, reported the New York Times.
David Rubenstein, the current chairman and a longtime philanthropist, had planned to retire in January 2025 but later agreed to stay until September 2026 following Biden’s election defeat.
In a statement, the Kennedy Centre said it was aware of Trump’s post but had received no official communication from the White House.
"There is nothing in the centre's statute that would prevent a new administration from replacing board members; however, this would be the first time such action has been taken with the Kennedy Centre’s board,” the statement read.
Trump’s history with the Kennedy Centre
Unlike past presidents, Trump did not attend the Kennedy Centre Honors during his first term, after some honorees criticised him.
The move to overhaul the board aligns with Trump's broader efforts to reshape government institutions in his second term, including freezing spending, dismantling federal agencies, and ending diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Trump’s plan to replace the board and assume control of the Kennedy Centre sets a new precedent. The centre’s board typically operates with bipartisan cooperation, and members are appointed to six-year terms, meaning they are not easily removed.
With several board members now receiving termination notices, the future leadership of the Kennedy Centre remains uncertain.
