Richard Grenell, the center’s new president, told a conservative gathering that the “big change” at the center would be a “huge celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas.”

President Donald Trump said Monday he is naming Ric Grenell, a longtime confidant already serving in multiple administration positions, to lead the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on a temporary basis after declaring himself the institution’s chairman late last week.

President Donald Trump named foreign policy adviser and loyalist Richard Grenell interim executive director of the Kennedy Center on Monday, days after appointing himself chair, solidifying his control over the iconic American cultural institution.

Kennedy Center artists are deciding to cancel or perform. Ticket sales dropped roughly 50 percent after Trump announced he would take over the venue, sources said.

After President Donald Trump decided to fire several Kennedy Center board members and install himself as chairman earlier this month, ticket sales reportedly dropped by about 50 percent compared to the previous week,