Shonda Rhimes Resigns From Kennedy Center Board After Trump Becomes Chair

Hollywood producer Shonda Rhimes announced she had resigned as treasurer from the Kennedy Center board after President Donald Trump became the chairman of the board.

“Please be advised that as of today, Shonda Rhimes has resigned from the board of the Kennedy Center,” a spokesperson for the 55-year-old writer-producer told Deadline magazine.

It comes after Trump’s announcement that he had terminated most members of the Board of Trustees at the Kennedy Center — including Chairman David Rubenstein — and had taken over the role himself, as previously reported.

Formerly appointed to the board by former President Barack Obama, Rhimes had been serving as one of its officers. Her resignation was followed by singer-songwriter and former frontman of Ben Folds Five, Ben Folds, who announced he also was out as artistic adviser to the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) following the move by Trump, The Hollywood Reporter noted.

Shonda Rhimes, Ben Folds resign from Kennedy Center roles after Trump takeover https://t.co/M9XAjkYHAc pic.twitter.com/QSzP0k9L3t

— New York Post (@nypost) February 13, 2025

“Given the developments at the Kennedy Center, effective today I am resigning as artistic advisor to the NSO,” Folds wrote in a post on Instagram. “Not for me.”

The Kennedy Center oversees the NSO, as well as the Washington National Opera, THR noted.

A short time later, actress Renee Fleming said she was out as artistic adviser at large, too, Deadline noted.

Trump made the announcement in a post to his social media platform Truth Social, and added that he also planned to make immediate changes to some of the events that were held there — beginning with drag shows that were intended for an audience of children.

“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” Trump began. “I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”

“We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, Donald J. Trump,” the president’s post continued, and he then pivoted to give some insight as to why he had made the call to change the center’s direction.

“Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP,” he said, adding, “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across out Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”

Following the termination of Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter, Ric Grenell, who is serving as interim president, announced on X that he had been briefed “by the CFO of the Kennedy Center on its financial situation” and said it was dire.

“She told me there is ZERO cash on hand. And ZERO in reserves,” Grenell wrote. “And the deferred maintenance is a crisis. For the past months they’ve been digging into the DEBT RESERVES.”

The Daily Wire’s managing editor, Brent Scher, added on X, “I’m told by a source inside the Kennedy Center that Grenell cut $2.4 MILLION (!!!) worth of executive salaries today. Its former president was making $1.4 million a year. Its general counsel was making over $500k. That’s absurd.”

Virginia Kruta contributed to this piece.

Related: Trump Dumps Kennedy Center Board, Puts Immediate End To Drag Shows For Kids