Who is Kennedy Center's Chairman? What we know about David Rubinstein as Cultural Center responds to Trump posts to take control

The Kennedy Center, officially known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, has responded to one of President Donald Trump’s recent Truth Social posts. The center has confirmed that it has not received any communications from the White House regarding President Trump becoming the new chairman.

David M. Rubenstein, a lawyer and businessman, is the chairman of the Kennedy Center. Rubenstein is the co-founder and co-chair of The Carlyle Group, a global investment company. The private equity firm manages assets worth $447 billion, according to its official website.

Besides being the chairperson of the Kennedy Center, David Rubenstein holds top positions across the boards of multiple organizations. He is the chairman of the National Gallery of Art, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., and the University of Chicago.

As of February 2025, Rubenstein has a net worth of $4 billion and is also the principal owner of the Baltimore Orioles, a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. He has served as the sixth board chairman of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts since being elected in 2010.

President George W. Bush originally appointed Rubenstein as a board member. Presidents Obama and Biden subsequently reappointed him. Since his election as chair in 2010, David Rubenstein has continued to be re-elected yearly. However, in 2024, he announced his intention to step down in January 2025.

Ultimately, the Kennedy Center issued a press release stating,

“Chairman David M. Rubenstein will exend his leadership of the nation’s cultural center until September 2026. Rubenstein agreed to remain in the role after the national search for a new board chair, which began in May, took longer than expected.”

Thus, according to the center’s previous statement, Rubenstein will continue to serve as chair until September 2026. However, Donald Trump’s recent social media announcement has sparked new speculation.

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Donald Trump had previously announced the termination of multiple Kennedy Center board members

In an unprecedented move, President Trump criticized the board of the cultural center, which receives 16% of its operational budget through federal funding. He mentioned terminating multiple board members and vowed to make the center “great again.” Trump wrote:

“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN. I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture. We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!”

He lambasted the center for “hosting drag shows,” and further mentioned how the cultural center is,

“An American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation.”

After Trump’s social media post went live, the cultural center stated the appointment as the new chairperson. The statement confirmed that the center is,

“Aware of the post made recently by POTUS on social media. We have received no official communications from the White House regarding changes to our board of trustees. We are aware that some members of our board have received termination notices from the administration.”

In the statement, the center also added,

“Per the Center’s governance established by Congress in 1958, the chair of the board of trustees is appointed by the Center’s board members. There is nothing in the Center’s statute that would prevent a new administration from replacing board members; however, this would be the first time such action has been taken with the Kennedy Center’s board.”

The John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts board of trustees elects the chairperson. Furthermore, the board members are appointed by the POTUS (President of the United States of America).

Therefore, while President Trump can appoint and remove board members, he cannot directly appoint himself as the chairperson. The board of trustees holds the authority to elect or dismiss a chairperson. However, Trump could appoint favorable board members to increase his chances of being elected as the new chair.