Trump visits the Kennedy Center as he puts his mark on the national arts institution
The Associated Press
March 17, 2025, 3:45 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday visited the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where he took a tour and chaired a meeting of its board of directors.
It was his first time at the marquee arts institution since
he began remaking it at the start of his second term in office.
Trump fired the previous board of the Kennedy Center, writing on social media that they “do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.” He replaced them with loyalists, including White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Usha Vance, the wife of Vice President JD Vance, and installed himself as chairman.
The Republican president’s allies have complained that the Kennedy Center, which is known for its annual celebration of notable American artists, had become too liberal and “woke” with its programming. ... Trump complained of “tremendous disrepair” Monday speaking to reporters ahead of the board meeting, saying the center “represents a very important part of D.C. and actually our country.” He expressed displeasure with the recent expansion of the complex, known as “The Reach,” which features studios, rehearsal spaces and meeting facilities, suggesting he would move to close up the spaces because they lack windows.
Trump also discussed plans to “improve very greatly” the Kennedy Center and its upcoming artistic programming. ... “We are going to have some really good shows,” he said, adding, “The thing that does well are Broadway hits.”
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