WASHINGTON — President Donald J. Trump has announced a series of appointments to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, including his own selection as a board member.
The appointments, made on February 11 and 12, replace several trustees appointed during the Biden administration. Trump will serve for the remainder of a term expiring on September 1, 2030, filling the seat previously held by former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Other appointees include Dan Scavino, Trump’s longtime social media adviser; Susie Wiles, a key political strategist for his campaigns; and Usha Vance, attorney and wife of Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. Several of the new trustees hail from Florida and New York, with business and philanthropic backgrounds.
The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees oversees the institution’s programming and management, with members typically serving six-year terms. Presidential appointments to the board are common, though it is unusual for a sitting president to name himself as a trustee.
Trump’s appointments mark a significant shift in leadership at the Kennedy Center, replacing several Democratic appointees with figures from his political and personal circles.
