Trump Criticizes Kennedy Center Disrepair, Overhauls Leadership

President Donald Trump hosted a dinner with his newly appointed Kennedy Center board at the White House, emphasizing his commitment to transforming the cultural institution. After firing the previous board in February, Trump named himself chair and filled the board with loyalists, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Attorney General Pam Bondi. He criticized the center's previous programming as "woke" and disparaged the modern architectural addition known as The Reach, calling it expensive and poorly designed. Trump expressed frustration over the center's past focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and pledged to "turn it around" by reshaping the arts and cultural scene away from leftist ideology. The Kennedy Center's new lineup includes mainstream shows like "Chicago" and "Moulin Rouge," while it has notably dropped events celebrating LGBTQ+ rights. Trump's broader agenda also involves cutting federal arts funding and canceling millions in humanities grants to align with his vision for the national arts culture.