Before voting to add Donald Trump’s name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the center’s bylaws were altered to ensure the measure would pass without opposition, according to new reporting.
According to documents obtained by the Washington Post, after Trump purged the board and replaced members with his appointees—including himself, Vice President JD Vance’s wife Usha, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Dan Scavino, who oversees the president’s Truth Social account—new bylaws were adopted in May that restricted voting eligibility.
The revised bylaws specified that board members designated by Congress, known as ex officio members, could not vote or contribute to a quorum. Legal experts suggest this change may conflict with the institution’s charter.
Since the board takeover, the Kennedy Center has experienced significant operational challenges, including collapsed ticket sales, artist cancellations, and donors withdrawing contributions.
The decision to place Trump’s name before John F. Kennedy’s has intensified friction between the administration and the arts community. Additional performers have boycotted the center, prompting threats from Kennedy Center director Richard Grenell.
Washington Post reporters Janay Kingsberry and Kelsey Ables note that while ex officio members did not typically participate in votes, no specific bylaws previously excluded them. The Trump takeover introduced explicit restrictions.
The May revision also changed trustee provisions, stating that general trustees “serve at the pleasure of the President.” Previously, similar language appeared only in reference to the Advisory Committee on the Arts, a separate body providing recommendations to the board.
Ellen Aprill, senior scholar at UCLA School of Law and expert on the Kennedy Center, expressed legal concerns: “I believe there is a strong argument that such a bylaw provision violates the Kennedy Center’s charter.”
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