The White House just wasn’t enough. President Donald Trump has taken over the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as well – and progressive performers are running for the hills. Trump replaced about half the board of trustees, had himself elected chair, and promised to stop all the “woke” stuff like the drag shows the center put on last year.
Trump’s Kennedy Center Coup
Donald Trump was elected chair by the Kennedy Center board on Wednesday, February 12 – but there’s an asterisk beside the claim that he was elected unanimously. The 36-member board is usually perfectly balanced between Republicans and Democrats – but Trump removed the 18 Democratic members last week. Their replacements include, among others, second lady Usha Vance, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Cheri Summerall (the widow of Wiles’ father, Pat Summerall), Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, and Pamela Gross, a former adviser to the first lady. So, that the board would be willing to do as the president requested and make him chair isn’t exactly shocking.
“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” the president posted to Truth Social on Friday, February 7. “I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture. We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!”
The president cited the drag shows put on by the center last year, saying such things will stop. “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our nation,” he continued. “For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
“I want to make sure it runs properly,” Trump said. “We don’t need woke at the Kennedy Center, and we don’t need – some of the shows were terrible. They were a disgrace that they were even put on.”
“So I’ll be there until such time that it is running right,” he added. He announced on February 10 that Richard Grenell would serve as interim executive director. “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA,” the president said in the Truth Social post. “ONLY THE BEST. RIC, WELCOME TO SHOW BUSINESS!”
Make the Arts Great Again
The people responsible for those “woke” shows took it about as well as can be expected. President Trump conquered the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, and the exodus began immediately. Ben Folds announced his resignation as the artistic adviser to the National Symphony Orchestra about the same time as the president’s announcement, citing “developments at the Kennedy Center.”
Opera singer and actor Renée Fleming also announced she would be leaving her role as the artistic adviser at large to the Kennedy Center. Shonda Rhimes resigned from the board as well.
Issa Rae canceled her sold-out show, “An Evening With Issa Rae,” which was scheduled for March 16. “Unfortunately, due to what I believe to be an infringement on the values of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds through all mediums, I’ve decided to cancel my appearance at this venue,” Rae wrote on Instagram. As the Daily Caller explained in a story hilariously titled “Trump Makes Hollywood Activist Issa Rae Self-Deport From Kennedy Center Show,” Rae has worked closely with Black Lives Matter, the American Civil Liberties Union, and supported the defund the police movement.
Philadelphia-based rock band Low Cut Connie canceled their upcoming show, as well. “I was very excited to perform as part of this wonderful institution’s Social Impact series, which emphasizes community, joy, justice and equity through the arts,” founder Adam Weiner wrote, also on Instagram. “Upon learning that this institution that has been run nonpartisan for 54 years is now chaired by President Trump himself and his regime, I decided I will not perform there.”
These various performers and advisors no doubt believe they’re making a bold statement – really sticking it to the man, as it were. But consider which people are cutting ties with the Kennedy Center – their backgrounds in activism or stated reasons for leaving. Anyone who embraces the infusion of woke ideology into Kennedy Center performances won’t be missed by the new board of trustees or the new chair. In fact, from Trump’s perspective, having these people leave without any additional effort on his part probably looks a lot like success in making the Kennedy Center and the arts great again.
