Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts isn't working out the way he hoped, if ticket sales and attendance are anything to go by. The New York Times reported Tuesday that in March and April, single ticket sales for Kennedy Center events dropped by 50% compared to the same period in 2024.

Kennedy Center subscription sales fall 36% compared to 2023, with theater revenue dropping 82%. The decline follows President Donald Trump’s appointment as board chair and Richard Grenell as president.

The mixed reception reflected the heightened emotions unleashed by his overhaul of the cultural center and use of executive power.