In a shocking turn of events, the world-renowned Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. has become the latest casualty in Donald Trump’s assault on American cultural institutions. Under the former president’s leadership, the prestigious performing arts centre has been transformed beyond recognition, with experienced executives ousted and Trump loyalists installed in their place.
The departure of the Washington National Opera (WNO) from the Kennedy Center is a prime example of this cultural upheaval. Faced with Trump-appointed manager Richard Grenell’s insistence on “net neutral” funding and a general atmosphere of political interference, the opera company has been forced to sever ties with the institution and seek a new home. Audience members have also reacted with dismay, returning their season tickets in protest against the “orange menace” at the helm.
The Kennedy Center’s woes extend beyond the opera, with dwindling ticket sales and the cancellation of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day concert, a long-standing tradition. The once-vibrant centre now resembles a “funeral parlour” according to one insider, with a “deathly pall” hanging over the place.
This cultural shift is not limited to the Kennedy Center. The Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery has also succumbed to political pressure, swapping out its previous portrait of Trump and removing any mention of his impeachments from the label. The White House has even demanded a mountain of documentation from the Smithsonian, warning that “The American people will have no patience for any museum that is diffident about America’s founding or otherwise uncomfortable conveying a positive view of American history.”
As Trump’s second term progresses, the battle for the soul of America is being fought not just in the streets, but within the nation’s cultural institutions. It remains to be seen which organizations will stand firm and which will choose to fold in the face of this unprecedented political onslaught.
