President Donald Trump visited the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on Monday, March 17, 2025, his first visit since naming himself chairman of the center’s board. During the visit, Trump expressed his disappointment with the condition of the building and vowed to make improvements and “make sure that it’s good and it’s not going to be woke.”
Trump told reporters that the Kennedy Center is in “tremendous disrepair,” adding that many parts of the country are in a similar state due to poor management. He was particularly critical of the center’s underground rooms, saying they were a waste of money, though he didn’t specify which areas he was referring to. The Kennedy Center completed a $250 million expansion in 2019, which won awards, but Trump didn’t seem satisfied with the results.
“I’m very disappointed when I look around. The bottom line: It has tremendous potential,” he said, adding that he planned to work with Congress to make the necessary changes. “It’s really emblematic of our country,” he noted.
Trump’s visit was his first since he announced in February that he would take over the Kennedy Center’s board and remove several of its members. He also appointed Richard Grenell, his former special envoy, as the interim executive director. Trump criticized the center for being too “woke” and promised to turn it around.
“We took over the Kennedy Center. We didn’t like what they were showing,” Trump said. “We’re going to make sure that it’s good and it’s not going to be woke.”
Alongside Trump were several new board members he appointed, including Grenell, second lady Usha Vance, his chief of staff Susie Wiles, Fox News hosts Laura Ingraham and Maria Bartiromo, and country music singer Lee Greenwood.
Trump said the Kennedy Center is important not just to Washington but to the whole country. He emphasized the need for the institution to reflect American values and traditions, which White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said he hoped to restore. Leavitt also mentioned that Trump’s business background would likely lead to improvements at the center, including future theatrical programs.
Trump’s decision to overhaul the Kennedy Center’s board has sparked strong reactions. Several artists, including Ben Folds, Shonda Rhimes, and Renée Fleming, left their positions, and actor Issa Rae canceled her upcoming performance at the center. Vice President JD Vance was also booed by the audience during a performance last week.
Trump, who had previously skipped the Kennedy Center Honors during his presidency due to disagreements with honorees, was asked what he would say to potential audience members. He simply said, “I’d say, come here and see a show.”
Although he isn’t a fan of the musical Hamilton, which canceled its Kennedy Center performance earlier this month, Trump praised Broadway and said that the center would improve over time. “You’ll see, over a period of time, it’ll improve very greatly physically,” he said. “We’re going to get some very good shows.”
