President Trump’s choice to run the Kennedy Center has said he has found $26 million in fraudulent revenue.
Addressing several board members during a dinner in the White House’s State Dining Room, Grenell stated that a review of the center’s budgets from the past two years had uncovered what he described as “$26 million in phantom revenue—fake revenue.”
“It’s criminal,” Grenell said. “We’re going to refer this to the U.S. attorney’s office here.”
SHOCKING! Ric Grenell just revealed the new CFO of The Kennedy Center went through the 2024 & 2025 budgets and found $26 MILLION in PHANTOM REVENUE. FAKE REVENUE! This is now being referred to the U.S. Attorneys Office. @RichardGrenell pic.twitter.com/fW4wjJnPwE
— George Balfour-Kinnear (@balfourUK) May 20, 2025
The board’s former chairman, David M. Rubenstein, has denied any wrongdoing.
“With full transparency, the financial reports were reviewed and approved by the Kennedy Center’s audit committee and full board as well as a major accounting firm,” his spokesperson told The New York Times.
Trump, meanwhile, took aim at the center for promoting political propaganda under its previous leaderhsip.
“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.
He continued:
We’re going to do some good things, but the basics are there. 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.
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. That’s what I love doing. I love turning things around. Turnaround artist. We’re doing that with the country.
“They should have built a beautiful performing center, open air, facing out over Potomac. They didn’t do that. They built these crazy rooms underneath…Tiny little stages, very expensive… I thought it was modern art, blocking everybody’s view.”
– Trump to Kennedy Center board pic.twitter.com/UCb2UMmlj2
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) May 19, 2025
The center recently confirmed that poductions of Chicago, Monty Python’s Spamalot, and Moulin Rouge! will each have scheduled runs at the venue.
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