Ric Grenell Discusses Allegations Following Budget Review
In a dramatic turn of events that’s rocking the nation’s arts establishment, Ric Grenell—interim Executive Director of the Kennedy Center—has unveiled what he describes as one of the most egregious financial scandals in the institution’s history: the discovery of $26 million in phantom revenue. According to Grenell, this wasn’t an accounting error or a clerical mishap—it was fraud, and he’s not mincing words about the consequences.
Speaking at a White House event, Grenell confirmed that new CFO Donna Arduin—brought in to audit the books for fiscal years 2024 and 2025—uncovered the missing millions. “Fake revenue,” Grenell said. “It’s criminal.” The numbers, reportedly presented to the Kennedy Center board as legitimate revenue streams, never existed. Grenell made clear the magnitude of the scandal: this is not just internal mismanagement—this is potentially criminal activity that has been referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C.
SHOCKING! Ric Grenell just revealed the new CFO of The Kennedy Center went through the 2024 & 2025 budgets and found $26 MILLION in PHANTOM REVENUE. FAKE REVENUE! This is now being referred to the U.S. Attorneys Office. @RichardGrenell pic.twitter.com/fW4wjJnPwE
— George Balfour-Kinnear (@balfourUK) May 20, 2025
Notably, Judge Jeanine Pirro, who sits on the Kennedy Center board, was present for the revelations and reportedly expressed deep concern. With both the Department of Justice and the FBI expected to investigate, Grenell signaled that accountability is coming—and soon.
Grenell didn’t stop at the fraud. He revealed that Kennedy Center staff have, for the past nine months, been paid not from operational funds, but from debt reserves set aside to cover a massive balloon payment due in 2030. Instead of preserving this critical reserve, the previous administration had allegedly been “digging into it to pay salaries.” That maneuver not only jeopardizes the financial future of the institution, but—according to Grenell—constitutes yet another level of deception.
In his words: “It’s a total fraud, and people need to be prosecuted for it.”
Grenell also weighed in on an unrelated but equally fiery controversy—rumors that performers in a Kennedy Center staging of Les Misérables were planning to boycott a show if President Donald Trump were in attendance. His response? Decisive and unapologetic.
Ric Grenell says the previous Kennedy Center leadership was committing financial fraud and that he will have the DOJ and FBI investigate. pic.twitter.com/c22Y7B4WTr
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) May 23, 2025
“If you’re not professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, you won’t be welcomed,” he stated in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. For Grenell, the issue is bigger than a single performance—it’s about ensuring that the Kennedy Center remains a space for art, not activism.
He went so far as to suggest that intolerant artists be publicly named to alert future producers and audiences alike, saying, “The Kennedy Center will no longer fund intolerance.”