The meeting is expected to be a continuation of an overhaul led by Trump, who ousted the previous board to install new members. As a result, they all voted for Trump to become chairman, removing David Rubenstein from the role. The Kennedy Center was at a point where it had no cash or financial reserves on hand, according to Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell.
A revamped board now totals 31 members and includes White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, second lady Usha Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, songwriter Lee Greenwood, and Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham, among others. They are expected to meet on the stage of the center’s opera house according to a source cited by CBS News.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the White House and the Kennedy Center for comment.
“We look forward to restoring the Center to Greatness, and ushering in America’s Golden Age,” Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this month. “Together, we will Make the Arts Great Again!”
Grennell replaced Deborah Rutter, who was slated to retire at the end of this year. Rutter had been in the role since 2014.
“Under Rutter’s leadership, the Kennedy Center has grown its operating budget to $268 million,” the Kennedy Center website reads. “Earned revenues have likewise grown to $125 million, in addition to $95 million in contributed funds; $45 million in federal appropriations for the operation, maintenance, and improvement of the memorial; and a $4 million draw from the endowment in Fiscal Year 2024.”
Rubenstein, on the other hand, held the record for being the Kennedy Center’s largest individual contributor, donating $111 million. He served as chairman for 14 years but planned to retire in 2026.
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Vice President JD Vance attended a National Symphony Orchestra concert last week with his wife, and the pair were met with boos from the audience. Vance waved back at protesters.
Celebrities have protested the changes by canceling performances there. Actress Issa Rae, musician Ben Folds, and the cast of the musical Hamilton will no longer perform at the venue.
