Donald Trump Announces That He’s Been Elected Chairman Of The Kennedy Center; Ben Folds And Renée Fleming Resign As Artistic Advisers — Update
UPDATED, with Rutter departure: Donald Trump announced that he has been elected the new chairman of the Kennedy Center, after he ousted about half of the arts organization’s board members who were appointed by Joe Biden.
Trump posted on Truth Social, “President Donald J. Trump was just unanimously elected Chairman of the Board of the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The President stated, “It is a Great Honor to be Chairman of The Kennedy Center, especially with this amazing Board of Trustees. We will make The Kennedy Center a very special and exciting place!”
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CNN later reported that the vote was not unanimous, although would not be a surprise: With Trump’s purge of Biden’s board members, the body that elected Trump is filled with his appointees. They include his chief of staff Susie Wiles, longtime aide Dan Scavino and Second Lady Usha Vance, joining some of those picked in the president’s first term. Those include Lee Greenwood and lobbyist Brian Ballard.
Also exiting is Deborah Rutter, the Kennedy Center president. Last month, before the purge of board members, she announced that she would be stepping down at the end of the year. But with Trump taking over as chairman, the board ousted her and made Ric Grenell, a special envoy for the president and a longtime loyalist, as interim president, tasked with overseeing day-to-day operations.
“I have been motivated my whole life by the fundamental values of America — freedom, equality and a deep belief in the American dream. Core to our American experience is also artistic expression. Artists showcase the range of life’s emotions — the loftiest heights of joy and the depths of despair. They hold up a mirror to our world — reflecting who we are and echoing our stories. The work of artists doesn’t always make us feel comfortable, but it sheds light on the truth.”
“Much like our democracy itself, artistic expression must be nurtured, fostered, prioritized, and protected,” she said.
Shonda Rhimes, who was first appointed to the Kennedy Center by President Barack Obama, announced that she had resigned as of today. She had been an officer of the center, serving as its treasurer.
Musician Ben Folds, who has been serving as artistic adviser to the National Symphony Orchestra, also announced that he was resigning.
Shortly after Trump’s announcement, Folds wrote on Instagram, “Given developments at the Kennedy Center, effective today I am resigning as artistic adviser to the NSO. Not for me.”
Soprano and actress Renée Fleming, a Kennedy Center honoree who has been artistic adviser, at large, also announced that she was departing, citing the ouster of Rutter and the previous chairman of the board, David Rubenstein.
“They both have been an inspiration to me; and out of respect, I think it is right to depart as well,” Fleming said in a message posted in Instagram.
Trump has railed against what he sees as the Kennedy Center’s “woke” programming, even though this year’s line up includes pretty standard fare like Les Misérables and Riverdance 30 — The New Generation. The Kennedy Center is also scheduled to be the venue for one of the World Pride Events taking place in Washington, D.C. in June, with organizers billing it as a “celebration of diversity and unity.”
The Kennedy Center is funded in large part by ticket sales and private donations, with about $45 million coming from federal appropriation, but directed to operations and maintenance. The center by laws, however, give the president the authority to appoint board members, each to six-year terms. As has been tradition, Biden appointed more than a dozen to the board just before he left office. Trump’s dismissal marked the first time that a president had fired board members en masse, from what has been a bipartisan body.
Rubenstein, a philanthropist and co-founder and co-chairman of the Carlyle Group, had announced plans to exit as chairman last year but, before Trump’s actions, had agreed to stay on through 2026.
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