Ric Grenell will step down as president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ahead of planned renovations. Matt Floca, currently vice president of facilities operations at the center, will succeed him.
Key Takeaways
The Kennedy Center will close for two years starting this summer to undergo significant renovations costing approximately $257 million. Ric Grenell, the outgoing president, has been replaced by Matt Floca. The changes come amid controversy over President Trump's efforts to rename and overhaul the iconic performing arts venue.
- Kennedy Center board votes unanimously to close for two years of renovation
- Renovations expected to cost $257 million and include updates to marble, seating, theaters, and ventilation
- President Trump defends decision to close center, citing need for comprehensive overhaul
- Artists and groups continue to cancel performances in protest of Trump's cultural agenda
The change comes amid controversy surrounding President Donald Trump's efforts to rename and overhaul the iconic performing arts venue. Grenell's departure was announced by Trump on Truth Social, who thanked him for his work during the transition period. The changes are set to be formalized at a board meeting scheduled for Monday at the White House.
The Kennedy Center is also set to undergo significant renovations starting this summer, with plans to close the building for two years. President Trump released renderings of the exterior of the Kennedy Center after its planned renovations, which are slated to be finished in 2028. The project is expected to cost about $257 million.
The board of trustees unanimously voted on Monday in favor of a controversial plan to temporarily shutter the arts institution for renovations. Trump acknowledged that the White House meeting was largely a formality to approve his renovation plans for the center but also highlighted how he is juggling an overseas conflict with an ambitious portfolio of construction projects around the capital.
Since taking office, Trump has targeted U.S. cultural and historical institutions to remove what he calls liberal bias and 'anti-American' ideology. He named himself chairman of the Kennedy Center and filled its board with his allies last year. In December, the institution's board voted to rename it as the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.
Grenell had no prior arts administration experience before his appointment to the Kennedy Center in February 2025. He has frequently criticized what he calls 'leftist activists' in the arts and insisted that productions at the center needed to be revenue generators or at least revenue-neutral—a non-starter in the performing arts, where large legacy institutions generally depend on a balance of earned revenue, philanthropic giving, and some amount of government grants.
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