Trump says he'll be new Kennedy Center chair after dismissing trustees

President Donald Trump said Friday that he would be removing multiple people from the board of trustees for The Kennedy Center — and that he would be assuming the chairmanship of Washington’s iconic theater and cultural center. Board members at The Kennedy Center include presidential appointees and leaders across government serving as ex-officio trustees. Trump said he was removing David Rubenstein — a private equity billionaire and philanthropist who has been the Kennedy Center’s largest individual donor in its history — along with other unnamed trustees. Trump is likely to target for removal Democrats who are serving on the board. Former President Joe Biden named his press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, among others, to the board during his term. The performance center, named for John F. Kennedy, hosts thousands of shows a year and is home to the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera. Rubenstein was set to chair the board until 2026, when he planned to step down after 15 years. It is not immediately clear which other board members have been removed, but the Atlantic, which first reported the news earlier on Friday, suggested Jean-Pierre along with Democratic political strategist Mike Donilon and Democratic National Committee finance chair Chris Korge may be on the list. Trump appointees currently serving on the board from his first term include Pam Bondi, who is now attorney general. A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump said the individuals he removed “do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.” Trump has a dicey history with The Kennedy Center. He broke tradition in his first term by not attending The Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, after some of the honorees said they would boycott the reception hosted at the White House. In his social media post, he criticized the Kennedy Center for having “featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth” — linking the trustee terminations to one of his central targets of shutting down “diversity, equity and inclusion” programming across the country. Now, Trump says the “best is yet to come” for the performance space. He added that the new board would be announced soon. “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation,” Trump wrote.

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