The Kennedy Center has been the center of controversy over the past year amid President Trump’s takeover, leading to the firing of Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter, the Chairman of the Board David Rubenstein, and numerous other Kennedy Center board members. Now, another longtime member has stepped-down.
Jeffrey Finn, who has overseen programming at the Washington, D.C. venue since 2016, announced that he will depart the organization on September 19. Finn did not provide a reason for his departure, though he said he would be open to serving as a consultant.
This is the latest departure at the Kennedy Center after Trump took-over the venue, installed himself as chairman of the board, and replaced Rutter with loyalist Richard Grenell as president. Trump also recently revealed he would be hosting the 2026 Kennedy Center honors and will be “very involved” in selecting the honorees — noting he has turned down “a couple of wokesters.”
The public have spoken-out about the direction of the Kennedy Center, with many worried of its future under Trump’s leadership. The President previously said that he plans to eliminate drag shows and “woke” art at the venue, though admitted he has never actually seen a show at the institution. Shows have been cancelled, including the production “Finn” and the award-winning “Hamilton.” “Legally Blonde” has also been postponed.
