In February, Trump fired the chair of the Kennedy Center board, David Rubinstein, and appointed himself to the position. He also dismissed numerous trustees and brought in new board members, including Usha Vance.

“I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

In a separate post, Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself dressed as a conductor alongside a caption that read, “welcome to the New Kennedy Center.”

He also expressed discontent with the “direction” the Kennedy Center was taking with its shows.

“Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP. The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!” he wrote.

In response to the president’s takeover of the iconic venue, which typically takes a neutral political stance, the producers of the hit stage musical Hamilton cancelled a run set for 2026. Actor and musician Issa Rae, among other artists, took the same route.

The Washington Opera and the National Symphony Orchestra both call the Kennedy Center home. The centre puts on more than 2,000 performances annually.