After Trump Fires Board Of The Kennedy Center & Names Himself Chairman, Numerous Performers Cancel Shows There

Last week, President Donald Trump fired many members of the board of trustees for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The new board quickly selected Trump as its new chairman.

The Kennedy Center, named for former President John F. Kennedy who was assassinated, oversees the Washington National Opera and the National Symphony Orchestra. It stages over 2,000 performances per year.  The annual Kennedy Center Honors ceremony is traditionally attended by the president, but Trump broke the precedent by not attending during his first term. 

Trump’s aversion toward the Kennedy Center stems from the center’s previous events featuring drag performances. In a social media post, Trump wrote the center does 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!”

He has also claimed that he would end future events featuring drag performances, reflecting his broader hostility toward LGBTQ representation and rights. He has also taken action against the Center’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, resulting in the removal of all DEI references from its website.

The Kennedy Center posted a statement on its website, saying “We have received no official communications from the White House regarding changes to our board of trustees. We are aware that some members of our board have received termination notices from the administration.”

Another statement that has now been removed said, “Per the center’s governance established by Congress in 1958, the chair of the board of trustees is appointed by the center’s board members. There is nothing in the center’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 Center’s board.”

Since Trump’s announcement, numerous performers have canceled their shows there, including actress Issa Rae.