Trump denies firing Ric Grenell at Trump-Kennedy Center event

President Donald Trump on Monday denied reports that he had fired Ric Grenell as head of the Trump-Kennedy Center, saying that he had performed admirably.

Trump previously tapped Grenell to run the center and overhaul its programming. Under his leadership, the board voted to add Trump's name to the facility. A number of legacy media outlets reported on his departure and tenure negatively, with many insinuating that he had been dismissed.

"I want to thank Rick Grenell, but you really did a great job, Rick on this, and we appreciate it," Trump said in a press conference. "I'm looking foward to your next venture."

There was "a story he got fired. He didn't get fired," Trump insisted. :He was here for a short period of time, for a year, figuring it out with Matt [Floca] and everybody else."

"And Matt now is going to take over, and he's going to he's a pro at construction, great at construction, and I think Matt would like to run the facility too," Trump went on. "He's fallen in love with it, and I think he'd do a good job. But if I don't think it will do a good job, I'll say, Matt, you're fired. I'm getting somebody else. So you're under no pressure."

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.