3 days ago
Kennedy Center vice president says he was fired over his Christian beliefs
A top Kennedy Center official says he has been fired over his Christian beliefs.
Floyd Brown, a longtime right-wing activist with a history of anti-gay rhetoric, served for just over a month as vice president of development.
Brown said he was sacked by interim Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell, hours after CNN contacted him with questions about his previous comments about same-sex marriage resurfaced.
Brown called same-sex marriage 'godless' and 'a hoax,' described homosexuality as 'a punishment' for America, and promoted baseless conspiracy theories questioning former President Barack Obama 's birth certificate and religion.
In a post to X Brown insisted that his personal views did not interfere with his professional conduct.
'I was fired yesterday by @RichardGrenell from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,' Brown wrote on Thursday on X.
'My firing came approximately two hours after @CNN sent an email asking me to comment on my past writings and statements about traditional marriage and homosexual influence in the @ GOP.'
'Comments rooted in my personal Christian views, which I have made in the past, have no impact upon my work here at the Kennedy Center nor do they impinge on my interactions with colleagues who do incredible work for the patrons of the Center,' he wrote.
'As a Christian, I am called to work with others of different beliefs and worldviews.'
Brown also shared the statement he said he provided to CNN: 'It was truly not my intention to offend anyone with my comments. I have never intended to attack or demean any person in my statements and have always shared the mission of Jesus, striving to love others unconditionally.'
He further claimed that when he sought an explanation for his firing and requested to speak directly with Grenell, both requests were ignored.
Brown stated that he was told: 'Floyd, you must recant your belief in traditional marriage and your past statements on the topic, or you will be fired.'
He added, 'Needless to say, I refused to recant and was shown the door.'
CNN reported that a source familiar with the Kennedy Center said Grenell had not met with Brown, was not involved in his hiring, and did not personally fire him.
The Kennedy Center has also declined to comment on Brown's dismissal.
Brown's abrupt firing comes amid a broader upheaval at the Kennedy Center since February, when former President Donald Trump named himself chairman and overhauled the institution's previously bipartisan board.
Trump appointed Grenell - the first openly gay member of a presidential cabinet - as interim president, leading to a series of leadership changes and staffing cuts.
Grenell has described the Kennedy Center's financial state as 'serious' and has voiced criticism of what he views as divisive diversity programming.
'We need to focus on common sense programming,' Grenell said in previous statements.
Brown, who said he had been recruited to join the Center's development team, was responsible for overseeing major fundraising efforts, raising millions annually from corporations, foundations, and individual donors.
His brief tenure had gone largely unnoticed until CNN's inquiry.
Staffers reportedly raised concerns internally about Brown's past rhetoric and political background.
Some questioned whether his history of incendiary comments, including criticisms of 'secular pro-gay culture', would alienate key donors in the traditionally progressive arts world.
Brown did not directly address his past comments about Obama in his X post, focusing instead on his religious convictions.
'The amazing beauty of the MAGA movement is we have people of many different beliefs inside our tent,' he wrote. 'We are all working together in unity to Make America Great Again.'
His firing has reignited debate over free speech, religious freedom, and the political direction of the Kennedy Center.
While some conservatives have rallied to Brown's defense, others note the complexities of maintaining a fundraising arm in a politically and culturally diverse institution.
Neither Grenell nor the Kennedy Center has issued a public statement addressing Brown's claims.
The Kennedy Center, under Trump's direction, has already canceled upcoming World Pride events planned for June.
