WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The Kennedy Center’s board of directors voted on Monday to shut down operations for two years following this summer’s July 4 celebrations. The widely expected decision comes in the wake of numerous resignations and cancellations during President second term, although Trump himself has cited the need for repairs as a reason for the closure.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to ensure it remains the finest performing arts facility of its kind anywhere in the world,” Trump told reporters at the White House before the board met Monday.
The board also voted to install Matt Floca as CEO and executive director, , who oversaw far-reaching changes at the venue that prompted an outcry from many artists and exacerbated the operation’s financial challenges. Trump praised Grenell on Monday, saying he had been a longtime friend, and wished Floca 鈥済ood luck with everything.鈥�
The Kennedy Center said the vote was unanimous, though Rep. Joyce Beatty didn’t cast a vote. The Ohio Democrat is an ex officio member of the board and sued to preclude the Trump administration from excluding her from Monday’s meeting. Over the weekend, a she was entitled to participate in the meeting but didn’t require that the board allow her to vote.
Trump hosted the board meeting at the White House in a reminder of the influence he has held over the Kennedy Center during his second term. Shortly after returning to office last year, Trump the center’s previous leadership and replaced it with a hand-picked board of trustees that named him chairman. He also brought in Grenell, who served in a variety of capacities during Trump’s first term, when the president mostly ignored the Kennedy Center.
The center’s lineup has since included more Trump-friendly programming, including serving as the venue for the premiere of first lady Melania Trump’s documentary, “Melania.” The board also announced it had renamed the facility the Trump Kennedy Center, a change scholars and lawmakers say must be initiated by Congress, and physically added the president’s name to the building’s facade.
The fallout from the arts community was swift and intense. Actor musician Bela Fleck and author Louise Penny were among the numerous artists who withdrew from appearances, while consultants such as musician Ben Folds and singer Ren茅e Fleming resigned. Earlier this month, the executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, Jean Davidson, left to head the Los Angeles-based Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
Without mentioning the abandoned performances, Trump said in February he would close the Kennedy Center to fix what he has described as a dilapidated building.
Ahead of the closure, about impending cuts that will leave 鈥渟keletal teams.鈥�
Floca, Grenell’s successor, had been serving as vice president of operations. According to his LinkedIn page, he joined the Kennedy Center in January 2024, during the Biden administration.
A center press release from the time describes him as 鈥渁n experienced facilities management professional with a construction management background and an appreciation for whole building design principles.鈥�
Previous experience for Floca listed on LinkedIn includes a handful of positions with the District of Columbia government, among them associate director of sustainability and energy and director of facilities management. He graduated from Louisiana State University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management.
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Italie reported from New York.
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