The Trump-Kennedy Center has ended its exclusive partnership with the Washington National Opera, citing unsustainable financial losses and the desire to open the stage to opera productions from across the United States and the world.
According to an exclusively obtained letter provided by the Trump-Kennedy Center to WNO leadership dated January 13, 2026, and sent via Federal Express, the Trump-Kennedy Center (TKC) made clear that the exclusive relationship with the WNO had become unsustainable. The Center emphasized a commitment to commonsense financial planning, stating, “The Trump Kennedy Center (Center) business plan calls for programs to be net neutral either by corporate contributions, individual donors or sponsorships if the program is not projected to reach that threshold with ticket sales alone.”
The letter detailed significant fundraising successes across other Center programs, including more than $130 million raised under the new leadership, a record-breaking $23 million for the Kennedy Center Honors, and $3.45 million raised at the most recent National Symphony Orchestra Gala—a significant increase from the $1.5 million raised at the 2024 opener.
By contrast, the Trump-Kennedy Center stated that the WNO did not make a good-faith effort to engage new donors or work collaboratively. The letter said, “The Washington National Opera (WNO) however, did not make a good-faith effort to engage our new donors, and therefore continued to suffer financially because of this posture of unwillingness to work together.”
“The Center has spent millions of dollars to support the WNO’s exclusivity and yet continued to be millions of dollars in the hole, and getting worse.”
According to the letter, the WNO concluded fiscal year 2025 with a $7.2 million deficit, not including an additional $5.8 million in direct support from the Center. Moreover, WNO ticket sales made up just 4% of the Center’s total revenue in 2024, while accounting for 16% of overall expenses.
The letter from Elliot Berke, General Counsel for the Center, noted the financial imbalance:
Having an exclusive relationship has been extremely expensive and limiting in choice and variety. The Center has made the decision to end the exclusive partnership with the WNO so that we can have the flexibility and funds to bring in operas from around the world and across the U.S., and we wish the WNO success on its own.
The Center also outlined immediate next steps to separate operations and arrange the return of property. These include the return of all Center-owned equipment in the possession of WNO employees—such as computers, monitors, printers, scanners, cell phones, and badges—by close of business on Friday, January 16, 2026. The Center also requested that WNO inform them, by the same date, of their intentions to assume all obligations and responsibilities under the leases for the Watergate offices, the Takoma space, and the Baltimore warehouse.
Additionally, the letter directed WNO to immediately cease using any and all Center confidential or proprietary information, including donor and patron lists, employee lists, financial information, budgetary and development data, fundraising and marketing strategies, and related materials.
“Any confidential or proprietary information that is in tangible form must be returned to the Center by the close of business, Friday, January 16, 2026; any confidential or proprietary information that is in electronic form must be permanently deleted,” the letter stated.
In a statement provided to Breitbart News, a TKC spokesperson said:
After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with the WNO due to a financially challenging relationship. We believe this represents the best path forward for both organizations and enables us to make responsible choices that support the financial stability and long-term future of the Trump Kennedy Center.
A board member from WNO confirmed that the decision was met with internal disagreement:
“There were disagreements among the Board on whether to disaffiliate or not. Some WNO Board members are resigning.”
Conversations to end the affiliation began well before the institution adopted the Trump-Kennedy Center name. Ambassador Ric Grenell initiated discussions in November 2025, inviting the WNO board to participate in an amicable termination process. That invitation was endorsed by the Executive Committee and the Board days later. The move also reflects the Center’s attentive effort to respond to its patrons’ interest in refreshed programming and greater artistic diversity.