Kennedy Center board, with Trump as the new chair, fires its president

Reporting cited here

1. reported

   The newly constituted board elected Trump chair, removed longtime president Deborah Rutter and named Richard Grenell interim president. Reuters reported that the board had 31 members after the replacement of Biden appointees.

   Reuters paragraphs 1–15, board election, dismissal and composition

   New board elects Trump chair and removes president Deborah Rutter · Trump remains chair; Richard Grenell later led the institution

2. documented

   Trump appointed Dana Blumberg Kraft to the Kennedy Center board on February 12, 2025. She served as a trustee while the reconstituted board elected Trump chair, removed President Deborah Rutter, declared a renaming unanimous after Representative Joyce Beatty was muted, approved a March 2026 closure plan after a 34-minute meeting, and voted again in September 2026 to close most of the building. A federal court held that the board lacked authority to rename the congressionally designated memorial, restored ex officio trustees' voting rights and found the first closure decision likely an abuse of discretion. The records establish Blumberg Kraft's appointment and service during these board actions; they do not identify an individual roll-call vote for her.

   February 12 board meeting, Trump chair vote and Rutter removal

   Trump appointed Dana Blumberg Kraft to the board that renamed and moved to close the Kennedy Center · Trustee during the board actions; a court voided the first renaming and blocked the first closure decision