Trump swears in Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of health and human services. (Andrew Harnik / ) With Elon Musk acting as

President Donald Trump dismissed half the appointed trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ board on Feb. 12, 2025. The remaining board members, most of whom he had recently appointed,

In the first month of his second term, Trump has ousted the arts institution’s leadership, filled the board of trustees with his supporters and was elected the board's chair.

Richard Grenell, the center’s new president, told a conservative gathering that the “big change” at the center would be a “huge celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas.”

American folk musician Rhiannon Giddens has confirmed that she’s cancelled an upcoming show at the Kennedy Center in Washington in protest at its “change in programming direction”. Her statement comes after US President Donald Trump dismissed a number of board members and replaced them with those who are sympathetic to his views on what should and shouldn’t be performed at the prestigious venue.

Rhiannon Giddens has become the latest artist to call off an appearance at the Kennedy Center since Trump took over.