Trump Says Kennedy Center Has Money Issues. It Just Hired a Pricey New Director

Music rep Rick Canny will be responsible for the creative direction of the center’s programming, even as the Kennedy Center's future remains uncertain

In the midst of the ongoing legal battle for the future of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, NPR reports that the Kennedy Center has just hired a new artistic director.

Rick Canny — a manager and artist rep for acts like Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, Creed’s Scott Stapp, and ZZ Top — will be responsible for the creative direction of the center’s programming and marquee events, including consulting on booking strategy, pricing and ticketing, media coverage, and industry sponsorships. But former members of the Kennedy Center have previously expressed concerns over his cost.

“Regardless of building closure timelines, the center must continue to curate programming during infrastructure upgrades and deliver a commanding reopening season that brings audiences back and puts the center on stable financial footing,” representatives for the center said in a statement to the New York Times. 

The news comes amid President Donald Trump‘s ongoing attempts to complete a full takeover at the historic venue. In 2025, the president was able to fill the center’s board and high-ranking staff with pro-Trump officials. But when the board voted to add Trump’s name to the building, it set off a tidal wave of protests. Performers and musicians, like a tour of Hamilton, Barbara Streisand, the San Francisco Ballet, composer Phillip Glass, comedian Issa Rae, and more boycotted the venue and Trump’s attempts. In May, a federal judge ordered signage with Trump’s name on it removed. Now, Trump’s threat is straightforward. Put his name on the building, or his plan is to tear the Kennedy Center down.

According to NPR, the news organization received evidence that top Kennedy center brass, including Sammy Miller, the former senior director of music programming, were concerned about Canny’s fees. (Following Trump’s takeover of the center in 2025, revenue for the Kennedy Center dropped drastically — with the board saying continued losses could leave staff unpaid and the Kennedy Center bankrupt.) The internal document, a memo, claimed that Canny charged the center $30,000 in consulting fees for one month of work, and another month charged $28,000 for fees and first class round trip tickets between Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, California. The Kennedy Center told the Times those prices weren’t Canny’s current fee, but did not say what Canny will make in his new role.

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“I know what it will take to reset and move forward,” Canny said in an email obtained by the New York Times. “I’m committed to this effort! I should be the face and voice to our industry. There is no one else at the center who can do this … unless you hire someone new.”

But even if the Trump-favored Canny is successful in using his rock and roll expertise to bring bigger names to the Kennedy Center, the future of the historic venue is currently in the hands of the legal system. In September, a federal judge ruled that Trump would legally be required to provide 30 days notice before tearing down the Kennedy Center. The litigation is ongoing, leaving the fate of the Kennedy Center uncertain, once more.