Trump played a significant role in selecting the Kennedy Center Honorees, and reportedly opposed those deemed "wokesters" (individuals perceived as promoting progressive or socially conscious ideologies).
President Donald Trump has taken an unusual step in the selection process of this year's Kennedy Center honorees, marking a significant departure from the traditional nonpartisan approach.
Traditionally, the honorees are chosen through a months-long process by members of the Kennedy Center board of trustees, with input from the general public, past honorees, and distinguished artists. This process is deliberative and nonpartisan, with recommendations accepted from the public and a Special Honors Advisory Committee that includes board members and former honorees. The executive committee of the board then selects recipients based on cultural impact and artistic excellence.
For the 2021 honorees, however, President Trump stated that he was "98%" involved in the selection process, vetoing some candidates he labeled as "wokesters." This direct involvement was unprecedented, as previous presidents did not participate intimately or publicly in the honoree selection. Moreover, Trump also announced he would personally host the awards ceremony, which is a notable change.
The 2021 Kennedy Center Honors will celebrate Michael Crawford, Gloria Gaynor, KISS, Sylvester Stallone, and George Strait on December 7. The event will be broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ at a later date.
The Kennedy Center has undergone changes under Trump's leadership. In February, the center underwent an overhaul, resulting in the dismissal of the Board of Trustees, longtime Kennedy Center chair David Rubenstein, and Deborah Rutter, the center's president. The Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency also drastically cut funding to grants for cultural organizations across the country.
Additionally, Trump's administration proposed eliminating the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, and Republican lawmakers have proposed an additional $32 million for the Kennedy Center, contingent upon renaming the Opera House for Melania Trump. Another bill has been introduced to rename the Kennedy Center after Trump himself.
This shift has caused internal Kennedy Center staff unrest and departures, reflecting controversy over politicization and changes in governance. Matthew Winer, the executive producer of the Kennedy Center Honors, resigned on Tuesday.
Past honorees include Stephen Sondheim, Yo-Yo Ma, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Johnny Cash, Meryl Streep, Aretha Franklin, LL Cool J, Francis Ford Coppola, and the Grateful Dead. The Kennedy Center received $257 million under Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" signed into law in July, which is six times more than its usual annual funding from Congress.
[1] The Washington Post
[2] The New York Times
[3] CNN
[4] Politico
[5] The Hill
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