Ticket sales and subscription revenue at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts have fallen sharply since President Donald Trump made himself chair in February, according to data compiled by employees that was obtained by The New York Times.

Single-ticket sales were down roughly 50% in April and May, compared with the same period in 2024, according to the data. Subscriptions, traditionally an important source of revenue, have also declined significantly this season: Revenue was down 82% for theater and 57% for dance.

At the National Symphony Orchestra, one of the Kennedy Center’s flagship ensembles, subscriptions declined by 28%, the data showed. At Washington National Opera, subscriptions were down 25%. In total, subscription revenue was projected at $2.7 million in the coming fiscal year, compared with $4.4 million this year.

The numbers were confirmed by a Kennedy Center employee, who was granted anonymity because the information was considered confidential.

The Kennedy Center disputed the relevance of the data on Tuesday, saying the center had changed some aspects of how it marketed and structured subscriptions recently, including by starting its campaign later than usual.

“Our renewal campaign is just kicking off and our hard-copy season brochures have not yet hit homes,” Kim Cooper, the Kennedy Center’s senior vice president of marketing, said in a statement. “Our patrons wait for our new season brochures and renewal campaigns to take action.”

Cooper said the center also had yet to announce some programming, including some Broadway shows, that she said “we know will have strong appeal across all audiences.”

The Washington Post earlier reported on the Kennedy Center data.

Trump stunned the cultural and political worlds when he made himself chair of the Kennedy Center, vowing to make the institution “hot” again.