After his inauguration in January, President Donald Trump appointed himself to be the chairman of The Kennedy Center, a historic D.C. institution, in a completely unprecedented choice that shifted the institution’s much-valued bipartisan leadership and stance. Many have criticized the decision, believing it signifies a chilling shift toward fascism in America.
When Trump came to office, he fired Kennedy Center chairman David Rubenstein and instated himself as chairman. He also fired the current president, Deborah F. Rutter, along with a number of board members who were appointed by former President Joe Biden. Never, in the history of The Kennedy Center, has there been an active president serving as a member of the board, let alone serving as chairman. And while there is no policy against removing appointees, there has also never been a mass firing of previous appointees. Now, the board is filled with Trump’s appointees and he has taken over the leading role of the organization, completely altering the facility’s unbiased nature.
The Kennedy Center was created in the 1960s by Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy to be an “arts mecca” in the heart of America’s capital. Historically, the Center’s board members have been appointed by the president and serve for 6 years in order for appointments to last longer than presidential terms. When a president comes to office, they appoint new members to fill in the gaps on the board. Appointees often do have some political bias, however, the common goal of the board is to honor the arts and The Kennedy Center’s history, regardless of the political opinions of artists or audiences. Not to mention that having politically diverse leadership helps draw in donors, artists, and audience members from all sides of the aisle.
Why does any of this matter? Because the state of the arts is very telling about the state of the country.
Jimmy Carter said it best in 1978, “We have no official art in this country, and I pray that we never will. No matter how democratic a government may be, no matter how responsive to the wishes of its people, it can never be government’s role to define exactly what is good or true or beautiful. Instead, government must limit itself to nourishing the ground in which art, and the love of art, can grow.”
It is not government’s role to govern culture. In fact, when governments attempt to sway culture towards a political opinion, it is often seen as an early sign of fascism. We have no “official art” in the U.S. because censorship of art is purely undemocratic and against everything America stands for (see the First Amendment). As Trump entered his role as chairman he spoke about getting rid of “woke” art, and that the Center was in “tremendous disrepair,” but not to worry! He would “fix” it all. Having a president run a national arts organization is distressing because it is a dangerous act of overstepping. Presidents don’t get to decide what art should be seen, and more importantly, what art shouldn’t.
The Kennedy Center has historically been an example of how government involvement in art has worked. There is a thin line between the government funding arts organizations, and the government having sway over what art is created. As seen by The Kennedy Center, the government can offer tremendous support for the arts, without interfering with the free expression of artists. An extremely powerful and influential politician like President Trump making hefty decisions for an arts institution puts it completely off balance.
The Kennedy Center was created with a deep respect for the sanctity of free expression and artistic freedom, and to fill such a beloved arts environment with political propaganda is nothing short of a tragedy.
In order for the arts to truly serve its role as a voice for the human condition and a resource of unbridled expression, it cannot be made under the duress of censorship. Trump has made his intentions clear: he will censor art he does not approve of. But the truth is, art has never been more important and artists will simply never stop creating. Trump can take over a national arts institution, but he cannot take over the energy that courses through artists all over the nation—purpose, conviction, and truth.
Bonnie • Mar 24, 2025 at 1:05 pm
Perhaps the arts and artists and planned shows should boycott the center and find other venues. Although it would be a sad loss – the shows could be recreated elsewhere – making the takeover irrelevant. I know thats easier said than done but its about the only action i can think of that would be effective