
Donald Trump To Appoint Himself Board Chairman of Kennedy Center Amid Major Changes for Arts Institution
By Francisco SalazarThe Kennedy Center is in for big changes this year.
According to the Atlantic, President Donald J. Trump, who is also a 34-time convicted felon, is set to announce the dismissal of multiple members of the Kennedy Center board.
During President Joe Biden’s four-year term, he appointed several people such as former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, and Democratic National Committee finance chair Chris Korge.
According to the Atlantic, the White House has also had discussions about having the current president installed as chair of the board but did not comment. Trump himself noted on his Truth Social platform that he intends to name himself Board Chairman while also continuing to take aim at the LGBTQIA+ community.

The news comes after Deborah F. Rutter stepped down as President of the Kennedy Center last month. She said, “After more than 10 extraordinary years in Washington, D.C., collaborating with some of the most phenomenal artists, cultural leaders, diplomats, philanthropists, volunteers, and administrators, I have come to believe it is time to pass the torch. It has been a great honor to work with the best in the world. It is time now to hand this truly unique institution to a new leader who will take the power and majesty of the arts to the next level.”
Trump has not been active in the art world and did not attend the Kennedy Center’s annual gala during his first term. However, of late he has attempted to increase his influence in Hollywood, appointing Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, and Jon Voight Ambassadors to Hollywood in order “to put it back on track” and “Make Hollywood Great Again.”
He also disbanded the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and shifted the grants requirements for the National Endowment of the Arts, taking away programs for underserved groups. Additionally, during his first term in office, Trump attempted to defund numerous agencies and projects including the National Endowment for the Arts.
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