Richard Grenell has had a long and varied career, and he sure takes his work seriously, no matter what he is up to at the moment. Right now, he's serving as interim President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and he's taking that seriously, too.
So when Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) made some unfounded and, candidly, false claims about the Kennedy Center under Grenell's management, Mr. Grenell was quick to issue a sharp rebuke, fact-checking Senator Whitehouse into the next time zone. In his X account, Mr. Grenell went to town.
. @SenWhitehouse just stepped in it.
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) November 20, 2025
He attacked the Kennedy Center with outrageous claims. So we responded with the facts.
Oh boy - the facts are so clear: the NYT and the Senator’s letter writer are going to be embarrassed.
We have a balanced budget, we’ve raised a… pic.twitter.com/nAWvE8MnmP
The post continues:
We have a balanced budget, we’ve raised a whopping $117 MILLION under @realDonaldTrump - and FIFA has paid millions plus covered all expenses (the NYT made a gigantic mistake by assuming FIFA was a rental not a major Sponsor).
The attached letter is where the fact-check really gets down to it.
Trump Announces Hard Rockers, a Punching Actor and a Country Music Legend As Kennedy Center Honorees
Here are a couple of highlights:
Dear Senator Whitehouse:
I am concerned about your careless attacks on me and my team. The letter you signed did not undergo basic fact-checking. It is filled with partisan attacks and false accusations. Your staff relied on anonymous sources, inaccurate gossip, and allegations from partisan reporters who never had access to the data or facts I'm happy to provide below.
This isn't exactly anything new for Senator Whitehouse, who is anything but a clear-eyed arbiter of the truth. But it's on the Center's finances that Mr. Grenell really hits home.
- Before the arrival of new leadership, the Kennedy Center was hemorrhaging donor dollars. Members of the executive leadership team were paid between $400,000 to $700,000 per year. New leadership has ended the financial chaos. If any department wants to create a new position, they must first submit a business plan to the Finance department to enforce financial responsibility and curb unnecessary staff costs.
- The cost of convening a single board meeting under previous leadership was over $120,000 in expenses. Today, it's a fraction of that cost, with the next Board meeting being hosted by a Board member at no cost to us. While you enjoyed those previous exorbitant Board meetings, you have not attended one under the new leadership.
The letter goes on in that vein. It's a pretty good takedown of the Rhode Island senator, who appears to be suffering from Stage IV Trump Derangement Syndrome, and who is obviously transferring that derangement to anyone who is or ever was an associate or employee of President Trump. But then, he's hardly alone in that; if someone were able to create a vaccine for TDS, one would require several railroad tanker cars to deliver the proper dose just to Congressional Democrats, not to mention everyone else on the left.
They say that success is the best revenge, and it sure seems like Ric Grenell's management of the Kennedy Center is successful, and what's more, he's done a pretty good job of rubbing Senator Whitehouse's nose in it.
If you're so inclined, you can read Senator Whitehouse's letter here.
UPDATE [11/22/25, 3:32 PM EDT]: Grenell wasn't finished, writing in another X post that he "will sue" the NYTimes if the publication refuses to correct the record. He also said that goes for "anyone else who repeats" the fake news on this:
If the New York Times refuses to print a correction, then we will sue them.
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) November 20, 2025
And everyone else who repeats this false story. https://t.co/n1HkISLp0Q
This is a developing story, so expect RedState to bring you further updates as warranted.
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