At what was meant to be a celebratory dinner in the White House’s State Dining Room on Monday night, President Donald Trump took the opportunity to unleash a wave of criticism—this time directed at Washington D.C.’s iconic Kennedy Center. And he didn’t hold back.
Instead of offering pleasantries, Trump delivered a blunt review of what he now sees as a crumbling cultural institution, railing against its condition, its architecture, and what he called “woke” programming.
“I Hadn’t Even Been There,” Trump Jokes About Taking Over the Kennedy Center
Trump, who appointed himself as chair of the Kennedy Center’s board back in February, admitted that he hadn’t even visited the place before taking charge.
“It’s the last time I’ll take a job without looking at it,” he quipped during his remarks.
Earlier this year, Trump ousted the previous board of trustees and replaced them with his own picks, including naming Richard Grenell, his former acting Director of National Intelligence, as executive director.
The Reach Expansion: A “Crazy” and Costly Mistake?
One of Trump’s biggest frustrations? The Kennedy Center’s recent modern addition known as The Reach.
Instead of being impressed by the center’s sleek, new architecture, Trump was baffled.
“They built these crazy rooms underneath,” he said, criticizing the design for including “three tiny little stages” that he felt were a waste of money.
From afar, he thought the building’s odd concrete structures were some kind of abstract art.
“I said, no it wasn’t modern art, it was meant to be a door so you go down to these rooms,” he explained, clearly unimpressed.
“I don’t know what the hell they were doing,” he added.
“But they spent a lot of money and it’s just not possible they spent it so poorly.”
Cultural Programming Under Fire
Trump then pivoted to criticize the center’s past programming choices, zeroing in on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and LGBTQ-themed events.
He claimed there had been “inappropriate shows,” such as dance parties for “queer and trans youth,” and performances he labeled as “political propaganda.”
He even took a jab at what he described as “lesbian-only Shakespeare” and “a Marxist anti-police performance.”
“This stuff wasn’t working out too well,” Trump declared.
Programming Shake-Up: Broadway Classics on the Way
With Trump’s new leadership in place, the Kennedy Center is headed in a dramatically different direction.
Events tied to June’s World Pride celebration have already been canceled.
Instead, the upcoming lineup now includes major Broadway hits like Chicago, Moulin Rouge, and Back to the Future: The Musical.
Trump even teased that Phantom of the Opera would soon join the list.
“We’re signing a lot of great Broadway,” he said proudly. “We’ll have them run for a while.”
Calls for Congressional Support
Despite his scathing critique, Trump insisted that the Kennedy Center can still be salvaged—with the right support.
“It’s been neglected very badly, and it needs an infusion of different things, probably funds,” he said, adding, “But I think we’re going to do very well when you get some money from Congress to fix it.”
Trump’s Handpicked Board Members in Attendance
The event also doubled as a spotlight for Trump’s new Kennedy Center board.
Among those seated in the room were some familiar faces from Trump’s inner circle and political world.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, now a board member, was present.
So was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who gave a brief speech.
Trump gave shoutouts to casino mogul Steve Wynn, whose wife Andrea is also on the board, and NFL team owner Robert Kraft, whose wife Dana Blumberg has joined the group as well.
The revamped board now includes Fox News host Laura Ingraham, second lady Usha Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Paolo Zampolli—the modeling agent who discovered Melania Trump.
Even country singer Lee Greenwood, who recently performed for U.S. troops in Qatar, now holds a seat at the table.
A Cultural Institution on a New, Controversial Path
Monday night’s dinner was a clear signal that Trump has major plans for reshaping the Kennedy Center—not just in its programming but in its leadership, messaging, and role in the cultural landscape.
Whether this reboot will win over audiences or stir more backlash remains to be seen.
But one thing’s for sure: Trump is treating the Kennedy Center like a project in need of rescue—and he’s doing it his way.