Trump Vows to 'Fix' Kennedy Center After Disappointing First Tour

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President Trump expressed his disappointment when visiting the Kennedy Center for the first time since appointing himself as the chairperson of the performing arts organization in an unparalleled restructuring effort. He pledged to improve a venue that he believes "holds significant importance" not only for Washington but also for the nation at large.

“It’s in tremendous disrepair, as is a lot of the rest of our country, most of it because of bad management,” Trump told reporters Monday after he toured The Kennedy Center and met initially as the chairperson of its board.

Trump, a former New York real estate developer, said he took issue with some of the structural components of the space, claiming the center “spent a fortune” on underground rooms “that nobody’s going to use.”

It's uncertain which specific areas Trump was mentioning, but the Kennedy Center had a $250 million expansion project completed in 2019 that received awards for excellence.

"I am deeply disappointed when I survey the situation. In essence, it holds great promise. We will collaborate with Congress... Given its high profile nature, we will take all necessary actions," Trump stated.

"We're going to improve it, but it truly represents our nation," he stated.

This is the first time Trump has entered this space. since announcing In February, he announced that he would remove several members from the Kennedy Center’s board and take up the role of chairman himself. He accused the prominent arts hub of being too “woke,” and appointed Richard Grenell, his envoy for special missions, as its interim executive director.

“We took over the Kennedy Center. We didn’t like what they were showing,” Trump said last month.

“We’re going make sure that it’s good and it’s not going be woke,” he said at the time.

Trump was joined at the Kennedy Center by Grenell, along with second lady Usha Vance, his chief of staff Susie Wiles, Fox News hosts Laura Ingraham and Maria Bartiromo and country music singer Lee Greenwood — all new members appointed by him to serve on the board.

According to Trump, "The Kennedy Center is a crucial component of both Washington, D.C., and our nation as a whole. It's essential to ensure that our country maintains a strong presence and is appropriately showcased."

Prior to President Trump’s arrival on Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that his aim was "to revive art and cultural expressions that honor American traditions instead of belittling them, which has regrettably occurred during recent years."

Given the President’s "business development mindset," Leavitt remarked, "I am confident he'll suggest ways to enhance the center. Additionally, he might talk about upcoming productions, such as plays, musicals, and theater events that the center will host during his tenure."

The extraordinary move to overhaul the Kennedy Center’s board ignited intense backlash . Several stars associated with the Kennedy Center — including Ben Folds, Shonda Rhimes and Renée Fleming — exited their roles following Trump’s takeover.

Actor Issa Rae nixed her sold-out performance at the Kennedy Center that had been scheduled to take place this month, saying, “Unfortunately, due to what I believe to be an infringement on the values of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds through all mediums, I’ve decided to cancel my appearance at this venue.”

Vice President JD Vance was seen during a video where they were heckled by spectators while attending a National Symphony Orchestra concert at the Kennedy Center the previous week.

During his first term, Trump avoided the institution, breaking with tradition and choosing not to attend the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony during his presidency after numerous artists who were honored at the yearly event voiced their opposition to him.

Asked Monday what he would tell potential audience members who are interested in seeing a performance at the Kennedy Center, Trump said, “I’d say, come here and see a show.”

The president said that while he was not a fan of “Hamilton” — which announced earlier this month it was canceling its scheduled Kennedy Center run — Broadway productions “have done very well.”

“You’ll see, over a period of time, it’ll improve very greatly physically,” Trump said.

We're going to have some really great performances.

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