Trump culture warrior Ric Grenell calls for ‘diversity & inclusion’ after JD Vance got booed at Kennedy Center

The MAGA world has discovered the virtue of diversity and inclusion after Vice President JD Vance’s arrival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Thursday night was met with a loud and sustained chorus of boos, sending an unmistakable message of resistance from the audience at a National Symphony Orchestra concert. But in a move no one saw coming, Kennedy Center interim President Richard Grenell—Trump’s handpicked culture warrior—responded by calling for “diversity and inclusion.”

Yes, you read that right.

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Grenell’s call for inclusion

On Friday morning, Grenell, who was installed as interim president by Trump’s newly appointed board of trustees, sent an internal email to Kennedy Center staff addressing the incident. The Washington Post reports that he expressed disappointment over the audience’s reaction.

“I received several messages from Kennedy Center staffers sharing their embarrassment over more than a few Symphony patrons loudly booing the Vice President and his wife last night,” Grenell wrote.

Related: Trump taps gay MAGA loyalist Ric Grenell as interim head of Kennedy Center

“As the premier arts organization in the United States of America, we must work to make the Kennedy Center a place where everyone is welcomed,” he continued. “We clearly have work to do. And I hear your outrage.”

Grenell, who has made a career out of attacking progressive policies, then made an unexpected pivot—championing the very diversity and inclusion efforts that Trump’s administration has spent years dismantling.

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“As President, I take diversity and inclusion very seriously,” he wrote. “I have met with many of you, and I love that we are Christian, Muslim, Jewish, agnostic, gay, straight, Black, white, Hispanic, and absolutely different.”

Related: Kennedy Center cancels Gay Men’s Chorus of D.C. WorldPride show about acceptance, group confirms

“Intolerance towards people who are politically different is just as unacceptable as intolerance in other areas,” he added. “Everyone is welcome at the Kennedy Center.”

For many in the arts community, the irony was staggering. This is the same administration that has aggressively erased LGBTQ+ and DEI programs from public institutions—including the Kennedy Center itself.

Boos and backlash in the heart of D.C.

The tension was palpable even before the music began. Security delays caused a long line at the Kennedy Center entrance, with attendees murmuring about the heightened precautions. When Vance and the second lady were spotted taking their seats, the audience made their feelings clear—loudly.

For over 30 seconds, the packed concert hall erupted into jeers. Vance smiled and waved, trying to play it off, but the message was undeniable.

Grenell, who is gay, took his frustration beyond the staff email, later posting on X: “It troubles me to see that so many in the audience appear to be white and intolerant of diverse political views.”

He then added, “Diversity is our strength. We must do better. We must welcome EVERYONE. We will not allow the Kennedy Center to be an intolerant place.”

Trump’s cultural takeover continues

Grenell’s sudden concern for diversity follows weeks of upheaval at the Kennedy Center. Since Trump dismissed the entire board of trustees and installed himself as chairman, LGBTQ+ programming has been quietly scrubbed, and major artists have pulled out in protest.

Gone is the WorldPride concert featuring the National Symphony Orchestra. The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., had its planned performance erased from the calendar. The Kennedy Center’s annual Pride Month celebration? Canceled.

Related: Drag artists and allies rally against Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ Kennedy Center takeover (in photos)

The backlash has been swift. Issa Rae, opera singer Renée Fleming, and musician Ben Folds have all severed ties with the Kennedy Center in response to Trump’s influence. The musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra, deeply unsettled by the changes, have authorized a strike. Even the hit musical Hamilton pulled its 2026 run from the venue.

Grenell’s newfound appreciation for “diversity” comes at a time when the Trump administration is actively dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the federal government. In recent months, the administration issued sweeping executive orders eliminating DEI initiatives, ordering mass firings of federal employees working on such programs, and erasing references to LGBTQ+ identities from government websites.

Trump has had a historically contentious relationship with the arts and has been open about his desire to reshape the Kennedy Center. In a recent Truth Social post, he vowed to purge “woke” programming, claiming, “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA—ONLY THE BEST.”

But as WorldPride 2025 approaches, LGBTQ+ leaders are making it clear that Trump and his allies won’t erase the community without a fight.

The community fights back

Grenell’s remarks come just days after LGBTQ+ activists, drag artists, and allies took to the streets in protest of Trump’s hostile takeover of the Kennedy Center. On March 8, the DMV Social Activist Collective and Qommittee organized the Rally & March for Drag, starting in Washington Circle and ending at the Kennedy Center, where demonstrators condemned Trump’s efforts to erase queer and trans representation in the arts.

"This president is demonizing a marginalized community in order to control the arts in America. It’s shameful, immoral, and weak," drag artist Tara Hoot told The Advocate ahead of the event. "At a time when our artists and LGBTQ+ communities are under attack more than ever, we need to show up and speak up against this fascist takeover of the arts."