Thu May 08 02:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Trump to Headline $2 Million Kennedy Center Fundraiser After Leadership Overhaul
**WASHINGTON D.C.** – President Donald Trump will headline a high-dollar fundraiser for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts next month, ABC News has learned. The event, hosted by the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees (chaired by Trump himself), features a VIP reception and a performance of *Les Misérables*. Top-tier sponsorships are priced at $2 million, including a photo opportunity with the President.
The fundraiser comes after a significant shakeup of the Kennedy Center’s leadership under Trump’s administration. He has appointed several close allies to the board, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Second Lady Usha Vance. Trump himself assumed the chairmanship, installing longtime ally Ric Grennell as president. This overhaul sparked controversy within the arts community, with some performances being canceled in protest.
While the invitation describes Trump as a “special guest,” the $2 million sponsorship level offers a photo opportunity with him, raising questions about the line between fundraising and presidential influence. The White House directed inquiries to the Kennedy Center, which declined to comment. Trump has previously described the Kennedy Center as an “American jewel” in need of revitalization, citing mismanagement as the cause for its previous state of disrepair.
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