Washington National Opera joins artists exiting Kennedy Center : NPR

Trump will turn that place into a cesspool before long, so at least his name will be on it when he does. I was so proud of Ben Folds, one of my favorite artists, for resigning from his role as artistic advisor for the National Symphony Orchestra earlier in 2025 after it was clear the place was going to be run by Trump and his sycophants. Everything Trump touches turns to ash.

On social media, Kennedy Center executive director Richard Grenell said it was the center’s decision to sever ties with the opera company — and not the other way around. 

“The Trump Kennedy Center has made the decision to end the EXCLUSIVE partnership with the Washington Opera so that we can have the flexibility and funds to bring in operas from around the world and across the U.S.” Grenell said. “Having an EXCLUSIVE relationship has been extremely expensive and limiting in choice and variety.”

Can’t fire someone who’s already quit, bub, but you can pretend on social media that it happened that way.

Grenell reposted his message on Saturday after he was alerted that his X.com account had been hacked and the original message had been removed.

Now that I believe.

I believe this is the original tenant. They’ve been based there since it was constructed.