Trump Chosen Chair of Kennedy Center

Authorized by the 1958 National Cultural Center Act of Congress, which requires that its programming be sustained through private funds, the center represents a public–private partnership. Its activities include educational and outreach initiatives, almost entirely funded through ticket sales and gifts from individuals, corporations, and private foundations.

A national cultural center was established in the 1950s and the name was changed to the Kennedy Center after JFK died. National culture is an important aspect of society. Kennedy (Camelot) had a special cachet.

Trump left the Kennedy Center alone during his first term. As part of his Trump 2.0 taking things to 11 program, not so much this time. Why?

“So we took over the Kennedy Center. We didn’t like what they were showing and various other things,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday evening. “But we have, I guess, a whole new group of people going in. … I’m going to be chairman of it, and we’re going to make sure that it’s good and it’s not going to be woke.”

Trump has cited the Kennedy Center hosting drag shows as one reason he wanted to reshape the institution. These were a tiny portion of the more than 2,000 shows the center hosts each year.

As a Time article noted:

These days, Trump is giving himself a role as an arbiter of American taste. The Kennedy Center is just another stage for Trump, but one he may unilaterally curate based on his whims without regard to what messages it sends about the national identity.

It's one more source of power. He replaced the board (including Jon Batiste, formerly of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre) with his own people. 

Among those on the board are Pamela Bondi, Elaine Chao, Lee Greenwood (of the Bible fame), Usha Vance (Second Lady), and of course Donald Trump. Note: Shonda Rhimes resigned. 

It is useful to look up the other names. Just to take one of the names less well-known, Sergio Gor:

Sergio Gor (shortened from Gorokhovsky, born November 30, 1986) is a Maltese American businessman and political operative. He led Right for America, a super PAC supporting  Donald Trump, during the 2024 United States presidential election.

Elaine Chao is Senator Mitch McConnell's wife, who was on Trump's Cabinet. She resigned after January 6. Nonetheless, doesn't sound like she totally separated herself from Trump.

The same can be said about McConnell, no longer the Senate leader, even if he opposes a few Cabinet nominations:

“I expect to support most of what this administration is trying to accomplish,” McConnell told “60 Minutes” earlier this month. “So, what happened in the past is irrelevant to me.”

Any opposition to Trump from the Republicans, however, is a problem for the Borg:

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized McConnell from the lectern on Wednesday — though not by name. “I think we’re greatly disappointed in any Republican who chooses willfully to vote against the president’s exceptionally qualified Cabinet nominees and picks to lead his America First administration."

The term "America First" set off alarm bells. The term was favored by isolationists and nativists. It was not always a horrible thing but often was favored by fascist types. The Trump Administration, including the new Defense Secretary's anti-European rhetoric, fits in with the not-so-ideal precedents. 

Trump has the power to remove members of the Kennedy Center board. The board appoints the chair of the board. And, the new board unanimously chose Donald Trump. This is where we are at as a country.

This has a symbolic feel to it that taints our culture. The Time article suggests it will have some influence on Hollywood. For me, it is more of an identity thing. As President Biden noted:

Performing arts is more than just sound. They reflect who we are as Americans. And as human beings. That's especially true for more than 200 Kennedy Center Honorees over the past 46 years for helps shape, how we see ourselves, how we see each other, and how we see our world honors not just based on the length of the career, the scope of the work of heightened fame, but because of their unique place in the conscience, and the very soul of our dynamic and diverse nation."

Very soul. And, Trump leads it now. Oh very. 

It makes some sense for the president to serve as an honorary leader of a national cultural center. So, for instance, you see the king in a Hallmark Channel movie involved in culture. First ladies, current and former, are honorary members of the Kennedy Center. 

Still, we do generally leave it to others. Will it now be a thing for presidents (or whatever Trump is)? On some level, I don't think that is inherently a bad thing. It is just that some people aren't fit for the job.

Trump definitely included. Ugh. 

Also, there is an overall concern. A political governmental actor directly heading the Kennedy Center makes it more likely to be politicized. First Amendment problems can arise. 

Trump is especially problematic here but there is some value to have some separation of arts and states. It won't totally be so. The government will fund the arts somehow, even if it is just in public schools. 

Nonetheless, the president (and whatever Trump is*) heading the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts can be problematic. Again, the problem here is particularly Trump, who not only took the unprecedented move of replacing the whole board but stepping in as chair. 

The presidential appointments will obviously have some influence. We have here yet another reason why it is so important to choose wisely at election time.

[Chris Geidner said he will write a substack about the Kennedy stuff. His will be better. This is my .02.]

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* I continue to refuse to call Trump the "p" word because I believe it requires a bare minimum of respect for the office that he lacks. 

People continue to say that "the left" or whatever has opposed all Republicans. This is not true. I was quite upset when President Bush was in power earlier in this century. I did not mind calling him "President" Bush.

People who have some responsibility to call him his official title can do so. I think his supporters get some form of sexual pleasure from doing so. I won't.

Some will say it is a fait accompli and that it should be used to underline the state we are in. That has some validity. I still will not use the title any more than a local community who knows a priest is a molester need not call the person "Father" Brown.