The leadership change at the Kennedy Center was announced Friday by President Donald Trump, who said Richard Grenell, a Trump ally and the center’s president, will leave the post. Trump also said Matt Floca, who manages the Kennedy Center’s facilities operations, will succeed Grenell.
Trump’s announcement came after the change was first reported by Axios. Trump said the transition is expected to be finalized at a board meeting scheduled for Monday at the White House, according to a person familiar with the plans who requested anonymity because the details were not yet public.
In his statement posted online, Trump thanked Grenell for what he described as work coordinating elements of the center during the transition period, and said he wants to recognize “the outstanding work he has done.” Trump added: “Ric Grenell has done an excellent job in helping to coordinate various elements of the Center during the transition period, and I want to thank him for the outstanding work he has done,” and declared that “THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER will be, at its completion, the finest facility of its kind anywhere in the World!”
Grenell’s departure is set against a period of turbulence and staff and artist departures that followed changes at the institution during Trump’s second term. In AP reporting, Grenell was a central figure in a push to overhaul the Kennedy Center after Trump returned to office, including ousting prior leadership and installing a hand-picked board of trustees that renamed the facility the Trump Kennedy Center. The Kennedy Center’s facade was later amended to add Trump’s name physically.
The announcement also comes as the Kennedy Center prepares for a major closure for repairs and updates. The center is expected to close this summer for a two-year renovation, meaning the leadership shift lands during planning for a shutdown and restart rather than during day-to-day operations.
AP reported that the arts community’s reaction to the Kennedy Center changes included cancellations of prominent productions. Musicals such as “Hamilton” canceled performances, and actor Issa Rae and author Louise Penny withdrew from appearances while consultants including musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming resigned. Last week, AP reported that the executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, Jean Davidson, left to head the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
Before Grenell joined the Kennedy Center, his career included senior roles in Republican administrations and foreign-policy work. AP reported that he served as ambassador to Germany and as a special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations during Trump’s first term, and later served as acting director of national intelligence. He was also considered a contender for secretary of state in Trump’s second term, a post that ultimately went to Marco Rubio.
In his Kennedy Center role, Grenell emphasized “common sense” programming, according to AP, aiming to steer the venue toward events that appealed to a broad audience and did not lose money. The moves prompted criticism from Democrats on Capitol Hill. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, released documents in November that showed the Kennedy Center entered into an agreement giving FIFA “exclusive” use of the facility from Nov. 24 through Dec. 12 at no cost, according to AP, and Whitehouse argued the arrangement put the venue at risk of losing millions in potential revenue.
The Kennedy Center told AP at the time it would be paid $7.4 million to host the draw, including a $2.4 million donation from FIFA, plus sponsorship opportunities and expenses. In response to Whitehouse, Grenell said he raised $117 million last year, as reported by AP.
Ahead of the summer closure, Grenell also warned staff about impending cuts that would leave “skeletal teams,” AP reported. According to Floca’s LinkedIn page, he joined the Kennedy Center in January 2024, during the Biden administration. A Kennedy Center press release at the time described Floca as an experienced facilities management professional with a construction management background and an appreciation for whole building design principles, according to AP.
The center is scheduled to meet as a board on Monday at the White House to finalize the change, the person familiar with the plans told AP, while the arts institution continues preparations for its two-year renovation and reopening.