The big problem with Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center isn’t the possibility of ‘Cats’

The problem with Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center isn’t the possibility of ‘Cats’

Donald Trump visits the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on March 17, 2025. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty ImagesWhen President Donald Trump announced that he was assuming control of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, he described the move as a triumph over “wokey” programming. He subsequently fired the 17 board members appointed by President Joe Biden and installed himself as chairman. Some critics have reacted to the move by s…

The big problem with Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center isn’t the possibility of ‘Cats’

Rather than ridiculing President's Trump's taste, responses to the Kennedy Center takeover would be better placed focusing on more fundamental questions about the role of U.S. government in the nation's artistic life.