Trump Replaces Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell, Marking The End Of A Controversial Tenure

President Trump announced connected societal media Friday that Richard Grenell, nan erstwhile ambassador to Germany who Trump appointed arsenic president of nan John F. Kennedy Center for nan Performing Arts much than a twelvemonth ago, is stepping down. Grenell will beryllium replaced by Matt Floca, nan vice president of accommodation operations astatine nan center.

Change has been nan only changeless astatine nan Kennedy Center since Trump fired nan center’s committee successful early February of past year and had himself appointed chairman. A week later amid wide creator defections that included Shonda Rhimes and Renée Fleming, Trump appointed Grenell, a adjacent ally, arsenic interim executive director, a station Grenell held until now.

“Ric Grenell has done an fantabulous occupation successful helping to coordinate various elements of nan Center during nan modulation period, and I want to convey him for nan outstanding activity he has done,” Trump posted connected Truth Social, adding that aft an upcoming two-year closure for renovations, nan halfway “will be, astatine its completion, nan finest installation of its benignant anyplace successful nan World!”

News of nan center’s imminent closure came arsenic a astonishment to labor and arts fans still reeling from Trump’s announcement precocious past twelvemonth that nan committee had voted to rename nan venue nan Trump-Kennedy Center, which prompted different activity of capacity cancellations, including by composer Philip Glass. The Washington National Opera besides announced successful early January that it would time off nan center.

Grenell’s tenure was marked by contention each measurement of nan way, which Grenell met pinch combative defiance, often slamming artists that criticized nan center’s decisions. He besides was known for not granting interviews to property that he deemed unfriendly, alternatively speaking connected nan grounds only to right-leaning news organizations.

The Kennedy Center did not respond to a petition for remark connected Grenell’s departure.