President Trump made a significant political statement by personally convening a board meeting at the Kennedy Center, a venue he had previously avoided. This meeting was unprecedented as board meetings typically do not occur in performance spaces. Trump expressed dissatisfaction with logistical issues, particularly regarding cost and arrangements for musical performances. His administration has faced controversy for restructuring the Center's leadership, including the dismissal of long-standing figures like Deborah Rutter and David Rubenstein. Trump's actions signal a noteworthy shift in the political influence over the arts community.
Kennedy Center board meetings are not normally held in performance spaces, and Trump seemed displeased by some of the logistics involved in doing so.
Trump bemoaned that Lee Greenwood, singer of Trump's favorite song, 'God Bless the USA,' could not sing at the meeting because it was going to cost '$30,000 to move a piano.'
The new Trump regime at the Center includes interim president and former ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, who nodded along throughout Trump's Monday remarks to the press.
Former board chairman David Rubenstein, the philanthropist who held the position for more than 14 years, was unceremoniously replaced by Trump.
Collection
[
|
...
]