2:23 pm - February 25, 2025
A New Era for the Kennedy Center
The night after President Trump officially took over the Kennedy Center and declared himself its chairman, a sense of unease settled over the iconic institution. Two well-dressed women wandered through the grand, plush red carpet of the Grand Foyer, pausing in front of the towering bronze bust of John F. Kennedy. They gazed into his eyes with a mix of sadness and humor, joking about how long it might be before his statue is replaced with one of Trump. Their laughter was tinged with bitterness, reflecting the mood of many in the liberal-leaning city. Just days earlier, Trump had announced plans to purge the Kennedy Center’s board of Biden-appointed members, install Richard Grenell as interim president, and vowed to eliminate “ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA.” He even criticized drag queens performing at the center and dismissed the programming as too “wokey.” The changes were met with both fear and dark humor, as some artists canceled their shows and Trump triumphantly posted an AI-generated image of himself conducting a concert hall on social media.
Reactions to Trump’s Takeover
On the night of the takeover, many patrons of the Kennedy Center found themselves at a crossroads, unsure of what the future held for the institution. Pamela Deutsch, a documentary film producer and former usher at the center, joked that the programming might soon feature nonstop performances of Cats, a nod to Trump’s well-known love for Andrew Lloyd Webber. Louis Woolard, a 73-year-old psychotherapist from Maryland, wondered aloud if the center’s future would be dominated by country music. At the other end of the foyer, Wayne Koonce, a 75-year-old real estate investment banker, mused about the possibility of Russian ballet companies like the Mariinsky and Bolshoi returning to the stage, given Trump’s affinity for Putin. These speculations were laced with anxiety, as many feared the loss of the center’s cultural and artistic legacy.
The Future of Programming Under Trumpian Leadership
As the night unfolded, the programming at the Kennedy Center seemed to stand in stark contrast to the vision Trump had outlined. The American Ballet Theater performed a production of Crime and Punishment, a ambitious adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s novel. Meanwhile, comedian W. Kamau Bell took the stage, using his platform to criticize Trump’s takeover and the broader cultural shift it represented. He joked about renaming the center after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a man he deemed equally unqualified to lead. Bell’s set touched on topics like white supremacy, nationalized healthcare, and transgender rights—subjects that might soon be deemed “too woke” under the new leadership. His audience groaned at the thought of repeated tributes to figures like Kid Rock, wondering how far the center might stray from its artistic roots.
Different Perspectives on the Takeover
Not everyone at the Kennedy Center viewed Trump’s takeover with the same level of alarm. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, appeared to genuinely enjoy the center’s offerings. Usha, a member of the opera board, had even taken their children to a contemporary production of The Jungle Book in December. The performance framed Mowgli as a refugee, a narrative choice that might have been dismissed as “woke” by Trump but was clearly resonant for the Vance family. Their presence at the center, and their appreciation for its programming, offered a counterpoint to the widespread fear and resentment.
A Community in Turmoil
For many in Washington, Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center felt deeply personal. The institution, long a symbol of cultural excellence and artistic expression, was now seen as just another target in Trump’s broader campaign of revenge against a city that had largely rejected him during his presidency. Outside the center, drag performers protested in the cold, while students from George Washington University marched and chanted against Trump’s takeover. Inside, some patrons clutched their pearls at the thought of what was to come, while others debated whether to boycott the center altogether. “You want to support the artists,” said Wayne Koonce, “but you don’t want to support anything connected with this philistine, backward movement of the arts.”
The Enduring Power of the Arts
Amid the turmoil, there was a sense of resilience. Michael Gray, a 63-year-old retired refugee officer who had worked for the State Department, attended the ballet with a calm perspective. “I think it’s nonsense,” he said of Trump’s claims about anti-American propaganda. “Things come and they go, but the arts don’t, and the love of the arts does not.” His words captured the enduring spirit of the Kennedy Center, a place that has long been a beacon of cultural and artistic expression. While the current moment may feel fraught, the arts have a way of transcending politics, speaking to something deeper and more universal in all of us. As the battle over the Kennedy Center’s future unfolds, it is this enduring power that many hope will prevail.