A new report finds that ticket sales at the Kennedy Center have fallen sharply under Donald Trump’s leadership, with a 40% decline in seats sold and a 50% drop in total revenue.
According to the Washington Post, the Kennedy Center has sold only 57% of tickets since September, with some of those thought to be “comps” given away for free. That compares with 93% sold in the same period last year. Out of 143,000 potential seats, 53,000 remained unsold.
After his election, Trump appointed Richard Grenell to lead the Kennedy Center and fired several longtime staffers. There has been a significant increase in Christian programming, which is often free to the public. More than 20 shows were canceled following his takeover, prominent advisory board members including Ben Folds resigned, and scores of artists have declined invitations to perform.
The Post also analyzed spending data, finding “less than half as much money was spent on tickets in September and the first half of October 2025 as during that same period in 2024. This is less than people spent on the center during any other year since 2018 except 2020, when the venue was locked down for most of the year.”
“Depressed ticket sales not only cause a shortfall in revenue; they also bode unfavorably for future fundraising revenue,” said Michael Kaiser, who was President of the Kennedy Center from 2001 to 2014. “The vast majority of donors are ticket buyers who are anxious to enhance their relationships with the organization by making contributions in addition to paying for their tickets.”
