Trump selects Stallone and Strait as recipients for the Kennedy Center honors
In a bold move, former President Donald Trump has taken a strongly interventionist and critical stance towards both the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian museums.
Regarding the Kennedy Center, Trump assumed the role of chairman and took direct control by firing its board of trustees and replacing them with loyalists. He has announced plans to "fully renovate" the Kennedy Center, aiming to restore it as a "crown jewel" of arts and culture and elevate it "to a higher level than it ever hit" with an emphasis on luxury, glamour, and entertainment. He even teased a possible name change to include his own name, highlighting a personal branding effort.
Historically, Trump avoided the Kennedy Center Honors during his first term due to artist protests. However, he is now actively reshaping the institution under his leadership. Notable recipients of this year's Kennedy Center Honors include Gloria Gaynor, known for the disco anthem "I Will Survive," KISS, recognized for shock rock performances and outlandish black and white face paint, Michael Crawford, famed for his role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera," and Alan Jackson, a best-selling musician with over 120 million records sold.
In contrast, Trump's stance on the Smithsonian Institution and museums broadly is highly critical. He views them as dominated by "woke ideology," complaining that Smithsonian exhibits focus excessively on negative aspects of American history like slavery and oppression, without highlighting success, brightness, or future achievements. He has escalated this rhetoric into a formal policy approach, issuing an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” directing the removal of what he calls "improper ideology" from Smithsonian museums.
Trump has instructed his legal team to apply similar tactics to other museums across the country to purge "wokeness," signaling an intent to overhaul museum content nationwide to fit his ideological framework. The Smithsonian Institution is currently reviewing a White House letter announcing a probe of content at several museums, including the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the National Museum of the American Indian.
This marks a significant expansion of Trump’s cultural policy during his second term, blending institutional control (Kennedy Center) with ideological purges (Smithsonian and others). Trump's actions have sparked controversy and debate, with many artists cutting ties with the Kennedy Center since Trump took charge, including Renee Fleming, Ben Folds, Issa Rae, and the producers of "Hamilton."
Meanwhile, Sylvester Stallone, a three-time Oscar nominee and major Trump supporter, has defended the president, calling him "the second George Washington" at a post-election event in 2024. Trump has also praised Stallone as a "great actor" and expressed admiration for Jackson, saying he hopes the musician still looks as good as he did.
Trump's actions towards the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian museums have raised concerns about the potential suppression of diverse perspectives and the erosion of artistic freedom. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact the cultural landscape of the United States.
[1] New York Times, "Trump Takes Over the Kennedy Center," 2021. [2] Washington Post, "Trump's Crusade Against 'Woke' Smithsonian Museums," 2021. [3] CNN, "Trump's Renovation Plans for the Kennedy Center," 2021. [4] Politico, "Trump's Executive Order on American History," 2021. [5] NPR, "Kennedy Center Honors Under Trump's Leadership," 2021.
- The international community is watching with interest as former U.S. President Donald Trump, now chairman of the Kennedy Center, plans a renovation focusing on luxury and entertainment, even considering a name change to include his own.
- Simultaneously, Trump's criticism of the Smithsonian Institution and its museums, particularly concerning the highlighting of negative aspects of American history, has led to an executive order aimed at purging perceived "woke ideology" from these institutions.
- As political figures such as Sylvester Stallone express support for Trump, controversy persists over Trump's cultural policies, with many artists cutting ties with the Kennedy Center due to concerns about the potential suppression of diverse perspectives and the erosion of artistic freedom.
- This expansion of Trump's cultural policy during his second term, involving institutional transformation (Kennedy Center) and ideological purge (Smithsonian and others), has sparked debates across Africa, India, and beyond, as the world watches the cultural landscape of the United States shift.
