WaPo Reports Kennedy Center Ticket Sales Collapse Under Trump

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Nearly nine months after President Donald Trump installed himself as chair of the Kennedy Center and tapped loyalist Richard Grenell to run operations, ticket sales at the nation’s premier performing-arts venue have cratered, according to a Washington Post analysis of internal and public data.

Trump and Grenell loudly blamed the Center’s previous leadership for weak programming and financial mismanagement — Grenell declaring in March that it was “too woke and niche” and Trump promising a “hot” new era. Instead, ticket sales have collapsed to their lowest levels in years.

According to the Post, from Sept. 3 to Oct. 19, nearly 43% of seats at the Kennedy Center’s three largest venues — the Opera House, Concert Hall, and Eisenhower Theater — remained unsold for the typical production. That marks a dramatic shift from the same period in 2024, when only 7% of seats were available, meaning roughly 93% were sold or comped.

Spending on Kennedy Center tickets also fell by more than half in September and the first half of October compared to 2024, based on reviewed credit and debit card transaction data, marking the sharpest downturn in ticket revenue since 2018 (excluding 2020, when the venue was largely closed due to Covid-19).

“This downturn isn’t just about pricing or programming — it feels directly tied to the new regime’s leadership shift and the broader political climate,” said a current Kennedy Center staff member to the Post. “I’ve heard from ticket buyers who say they’re choosing not to attend because of what the Kennedy Center now represents. The brand itself has become polarizing, which is unprecedented in my experience.”

Staff members also told the Post that ticket sales immediately plunged, dropping about 50%, after Trump announced he would take control of the Kennedy Center. Since then, several programming chiefs exited amid layoffs, Christian-themed events have increased (many of them free), and artists have backed out rather than appear under the new leadership.

On Monday, in a post on Truth Social, Trump touted cosmetic upgrades at the venue, writing that “the new TRUMP KENNEDY, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER…. will soon be the finest Arts and Entertainment Center anywhere in the World.”