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Richard Grenell

Richard Grenell

Kennedy Center President

Appears in 1 story

Notable Quotes

"Our goal has always been to not only save and permanently preserve the Center, but to make it the finest Arts Institution in the world. It desperately needs this renovation and temporarily closing the Center just makes sense." — X, February 1, 2026

"I am grateful to Congress for appropriating an historic $257M to finally address decades of deferred maintenance and repairs." — February 2026

Stories

Trump's Kennedy Center overhaul

Rule Changes

Leading the institution through transformation

For 54 years, the Kennedy Center operated as a bipartisan cultural institution, its governance largely untouched by any president. In February 2025, Donald Trump dismissed most of its board, installed allies who elected him chairman, and renamed it after himself—triggering an artist exodus, a 50% revenue collapse, and a federal lawsuit. Now he's announced a two-year closure starting July 4, 2026, with renovations estimated at $200 million that will retain the building's steel structure and some marble while creating what he calls a 'brand new' facility.

Updated Feb 4