Trump to name himself new Kennedy Center board chair

President Trump said Friday he would end the terms of multiple members of the Kennedy Center board and make himself chair of a new board, putting himself at the helm of the Washington, D.C., cultural institution.

“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. We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!” the president said on Truth Social.

He said his moves are part of an effort to make the Kennedy Center, named for former President John F. Kennedy and located in northwest Washington along the Potomac River, “great again.”

“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!” Trump said.

In response to the president's Friday night post, the Kennedy Center highlighted its historically "collaborative relationship with every presidential administration," noting it had not received any information from the Trump administration about his move.

"The Kennedy Center is aware of the post made recently by POTUS on social media," the center wrote later Friday. "We have received no official communications from the White House regarding changes to our board of trustees. We are aware that some members of our board have received termination notices from the administration."

The current chair of the Kennedy Center board of trustees is billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein, who was co-founder of the private equity firm the Carlyle Group and had served as a policy adviser to former President Carter.

Rubenstein also has ties to former President Biden, who stayed at his house in Nantucket over Thanksgiving last year. The annual Kennedy Center Honors took place in December, and Rubenstein saluted Biden, who was in the audience, for being “gracious hosts” and attending the show for four years.

During Trump’s first term in office, he bucked tradition and declined to attend the Honors event after several of the award’s recipients criticized him.

Earlier on Friday, Rubenstein interviewed Trump ally Elon Musk remotely during a JPMorgan investment conference.

Other members of the board include businessman Anthony Welters, who serves as vice chair, and Deborah Rutter, who serves as president, though last month she announced plans to step down later this year.

Presidents appoint members to the board, which currently includes Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump-tied lobbyist Brian Ballard and singer Lee Greenwood, who is a Trump supporter.

Others members are Biden-era names, including former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, longtime Biden adviser Mike Donilon and Democratic consultant Stephanie Cutter.

And Congress designates ex-officio members, which currently includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio and would include the secretaries of the Education Department and Health and Human Services once they are confirmed.

First ladies are also honorary chairs of the board, with first lady Melania Trump listed on the Kennedy Center’s website along with former first ladies Jill Biden, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton.

The center, in the statement, said it is the first time a president has moved to dismiss board members.

Updated at 9:18 p.m. EST