Trump to Kennedy Center board members: 'We’re going to do some good things, but the basics are there'

President Trump on Monday delivered remarks to members of the Kennedy Center board of trustees, which Trump drastically overhauled earlier this year as he sought to put his stamp on the performing arts institution.

Trump held the meeting in the State Dining Room at the White House on the same day the Kennedy Center announced its theater season for 2025-2026. The performing arts center, which has faced backlash over some of its changes under Trump, announced musicals such as "Chicago," "Monty Python's Spamalot," and "Moulin Rouge!" would have runs at the center.

“We’re going to do some good things, but the basics are there,” Trump told the board on Monday. “The location is phenomenal. The importance of the building is phenomenal. And we’ll have some very interesting plans."

"I always thought they should have built a beautiful performing center, open air, facing out over the Potomac," Trump continued. "They didn't do that. They built these crazy rooms underneath; they built three tiny little stages, very expensive. Someday, maybe somebody will occupy one."

“We’re going to turn it around,” Trump added. “That’s what I love doing. I love turning things around. Turnaround artist. We’re doing that with the country.”

Trump announced in February that he would boot multiple members of the Kennedy Center’s board and serve as its chair. He accused the prominent arts hub of being too “woke” and appointed Richard Grenell, his envoy for special missions, as its interim executive director.

The president went on to appoint a slew of political allies as board members, including chief of staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Fox News hosts Laura Ingraham and Maria Bartiromo and senior White House official Sergio Gor.

Bondi, Wiles and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were among those at Monday night’s meeting.

Trump on Monday bemoaned that the Kennedy Center’s previous programming was “out of control,” arguing it showcased performances with “rampant political propaganda.”

"Instead of putting forward programming that tears our country down and tears our country apart, the Kennedy Center should be the nation's premier venue for lifting up the best of our country and lifting up the American arts, theater, music and culture,” Trump said.