Ric Grenell, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, is stepping down from his post as head of the Kennedy Center ahead of the venue’s two-year renovation project, the president announced on Friday.
Grenell will be replaced by Matt Floca, vice president of facilities operations at the center, Trump said on Truth Social.
“I am pleased to announce that Matt Floca, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, will be named the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director, of THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER,” Trump wrote in the post.
The president thanked Grenell, who also serves as Trump’s envoy for special missions, for his work at the center.
“Ric Grenell has done an excellent job in helping to coordinate various elements of the Center during the transition period, and I want to thank him for the outstanding work he has done,” Trump’s post said.
Grenell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Axios first reported on Grenell’s departure.
Trump’s handpicked board voted in December to rename the venue by adding the president’s name. The move drew a legal challenge since the original name was established through congressional legislation that was signed into law.
Grenell was named interim president of the Kennedy Center in early February 2025, days after Trump removed multiple members from the board of trustees before naming himself the new chair. He has been a key figure in Trump’s efforts to overhaul the center, including adding the president’s name to the building.
The name change spurred backlash from numerous artists and musicians, who canceled their performances at the Kennedy Center, including Grammy-winning soprano Renée Fleming and composer Philip Glass.
In response to the cancellations, Grenell at times took an antagonistic approach. He threatened to sue Chuck Redd, a jazz drummer, after the musician backed out of hosting the center’s annual “Jazz Jam,” which Redd had presided over since 2006.
The Kennedy Center is set to close for a two-year period beginning in July to undergo renovations.
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