Richard Grenell is stepping down as interim president of the Kennedy Center after over a year in the role. President Donald Trump announced the departure on Truth Social, praising Grenell's work during a transitional period. Matt Floca, the current vice president of facilities operations, is set to become COO and executive director pending board approval.
Richard Grenell was appointed interim president of the Kennedy Center in February 2025, following a purge of the venue's previous leadership by President Donald Trump, who also took on the role of board chairman. This came after a December vote to rename the institution the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, a change that drew significant backlash from the arts community.
The renaming prompted several high-profile artists to cancel their scheduled performances in protest. Among those who pulled out were composer Philip Glass, soprano Renée Fleming, and banjoist Béla Fleck. In one instance, Grenell responded to a jazz musician's cancellation of a Christmas Eve show by threatening legal action for $1 million in damages.
Trump's announcement of Grenell's departure highlighted his contributions to coordinating the center's elements during transition. "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," Trump wrote on Truth Social. He added that the revamped facility, dubbed "THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER," would become the world's finest upon completion.
The leadership shakeup occurs amid other recent exits, including artistic director Kevin Couch, who resigned less than two weeks after his appointment. Trump has outlined plans to close the Kennedy Center on July 4, 2026, to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, initiating a two-year reconstruction into a new entertainment complex.
