Trump replaces Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell, marking the end of a controversial tenure

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

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

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

News of the center’s imminent closure came arsenic a astonishment to employees and arts fans inactive reeling from Trump’s announcement precocious past twelvemonth that the committee had voted to rename the venue the Trump-Kennedy Center, which prompted different question of show cancellations, including by composer Philip Glass. The Washington National Opera besides announced successful aboriginal January that it would permission the center.

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

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