When President Donald Trump hosted the Kennedy Center at the White House on Monday night, the advisor he chose to lead the Foundation, Rick Greenil, spoke briefly on what he described as “fraud” in the way in which the financial affairs of the institution were dealt with.
But the person who was replaced by Greenil, Deborah Rart, today called on what she described as a “malicious attempt to distort the facts” about her mandate.
“I stand with my confirmation that at the time of my departure, the Kennedy Center was a financially sound,
It follows to achieve a balance between its budget for this year, and put a site to increase the endowment significantly during
“It is a beacon for free artistic expression and a place that everyone can belong,” Rotr said in a statement.
Just weeks after his presidency, Trump removed all the members of the Board of Directors appointed by Joe Biden. Trump -controlled Trump's Trump's Council overthrew and Trump replaced President David Robinstein. Greenil, a long -term consultant, won the title of the new president.
At the White House dinner on Monday, with characters such as Steve Win and Lee Greenwood, Greenil said Trump “actually saves the Kennedy Center”, while it is called the postponed maintenance of the “criminal” complex.
Greenil said that the new financial manager of the Kennedy Center, Donna Erdin, passed through the budgets from 2024 and 2025 and found $ 26 million in “Phantom's revenues”.
“He is a criminal,” Greenil said, adding that they will refer to the US Prosecutor's Office.
Greenil indicated that the Public Prosecutor Bam Bondi is a member of the Board of Directors, and “I heard all the details.” This is unacceptable in America to obtain fake revenues of $ 26 million – fraud on previous donors. ”
In her statement, Rart, who led the center for 10 years, said that during her term “adopted an operational budget for the next fiscal year, which was approved by the Board of Directors. This budget was a plan for our operations and programming the usual practice responsible for the practices allocated to the arts. Transparency was presented in all financial transactions and decisions.
She also said they had created a backup box to cover a possible shortage, and that about $ 10 million was available as she left in February.
She added that since she left, she was unable to reach the current financial situation “and not related to changes in management, as well as the behavior of donors and shepherds in the operating budget for this year.”
The acquisition of Trump was followed by Kennedy's Center for a number of artists who retreat from the shows, including my producers HamiltonWhich was operation in 2026.
“Perhaps officials are now facing large financial gaps and seeking to attribute them to the previous administration, which will include the Board of Trustees, some of whom were appointed by President Trump, during his previous term,” said Rart said.
She also protested a legal standard used by public figures in defamation claims. “This malicious attempt to distort the facts, which was transparent and easily in the audited financial reports, ignores the truth recklessly.”
Trump previously visited the Kennedy Center in March and called for the upgrade of the facilities. He also criticized a modern expansion of the complex. While Republicans in the House of Representatives seek to pass a draft law for the massive reconciliation, it is said that the budget proposal, which the White House requested, is $ 257 million to renew the Kennedy Center. Trump has sought to eliminate funding for the arts and major cultural agencies, including the national endowment of the arts and the National Human Sciences.
In a statement to the Washington Post, Robinstein said that “with full transparency, financial reports were reviewed and approved by the audit committee at the Kennedy Center and the full board of directors in addition to a major accounting company.”
A spokesman for the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Kennedy Center's budget in 2024 is about 268 million dollars, per Robinstein, and 45 million dollars, from that comes from a federal dedication to use in operations and maintenance.
The new administration of the Kennedy Center under the leadership of Grenelll recently announced its next season, with a line that includes musical plays in Broadway Strangersand Mulin Rouge! Musicianand Return to the musical futureand Mrs. and Spamalot.
Trump criticized the previous programming of the Kennedy Center, and at the White House on Monday, he was subjected to what he described as “rampant political propaganda, Di and inappropriate offers.”
“They had dance parties for Queer and Trans and”, adding that they had a Marxist performance to combat the police and only Shakespeare lesbian. ”
“When you choose the popular programs for the public, they respond. People buy tickets,” Greenel said.
“I would like to face the appeal by the arts,” Greenil said. “I love it when someone can teach and make me slightly uncomfortable with the show. But one thing we will not do at the Kennedy Center is not suitable for children.”
The Kennedy Center for this season, was chosen when Rart and Robinstein are still leading the institution, and he was heavy in Broadway offers and the controversial fare, including Legally Blonde: The MusicaL, Music and Annual 25 Potonam County County Nick. Another offer, Les MisérablesIt opens next month, according to what Trump is planning to host a campaign to collect donations associated with performance.
