Donald Trump just revealed his plans to shake things up on how the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will be run. Together with his announcement of a winner’s list, he boldly proclaimed his influence over municipal policing. Without question, this move is intended to promote a depiction of American exceptionalism. That last goal is about changing the country’s arts and culture landscape. In addition to the immediate moratorium, Trump’s announcement included an internal review of all Smithsonian museums to make sure they don’t violate Trump’s directive.
The ex-president used the capital’s Home Rule Act to wrest control of the local police force. He sent thousands of members of the National Guard to patrol the streets of Washington, D.C. The move is part of his long term plan to combat the city’s high crime, which he had made their previous overreach on the issue illegal.
Expanding Influence in Arts and Culture
Donald Trump takes center stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It was his first time attending the event in office. In doing so, he painted a broad portrait of his vision for the Kennedy Center Honors—a vision that suggests a political undercurrent to the reimagined ceremony. The five honorees chosen to receive this year’s awards are Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, Kiss, Michael Crawford – and Sylvester Stallone.
In a social media post, Trump expressed enthusiasm about the nominees, stating, > “GREAT Nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER, AWARDS.” Inspired by his musical muse, he intends to instill a distinct political edge in these honors. Alongside that international perspective, he will continue to have an intense focus on American culture.
Trump even suggested that he would be personally overseeing the award show, which as he called it, a “big big league” job. He noted, “I’ve been asked to host. I said, ‘I’m the president of the United States. Are you fools asking me to do that?’” Trump’s decision to accept the role proved pivotal, highlighting his determination to change the event’s course.
A New Direction for Law Enforcement and Crime Statistics
In addition to his cultural moves, Trump has made some direct moves on the crime front in Washington, D.C. Charting a new direction His administration has taken to publicly casting doubt on the credibility of crime statistics reported in the capital. They call for a better reflection of what public safety actually looks like. In 2019, he proudly promised, “You’re going to see a beautiful change in Washington crime statistics any day now. The old numbers were total fake news.” The real stats.
By deploying the National Guard and claiming oversight of local law enforcement, Trump aims to establish a perception of increased security in the city. He asserted, “We have the right location, and soon we will be a crime-free area.” This two-pronged strategy of increasing cultural elitism and targeting blacks and immigrants in the name of public safety is emblematic of Trump’s ulterior motives.
A Visionary Renovation for the Kennedy Center
Trump’s plans for the Kennedy Center go much further than just halting honors. He imagines “renovating” the space—literally, imagining a new venue. He stated, “In the coming months, we’ll fully renovate the dated and, really, the entire infrastructure of the building and make the Kennedy Center a crown jewel of American arts and culture once again.”
Trump is adamant that the status of the institution be raised in American culture. He justifies this concerted effort against undermining his vision of exceptionalism. He emphasized that this renovation would represent “the absolute TOP LEVEL of luxury, glamour, and entertainment.”
While Trump acknowledged that he should refrain from making this initiative political, saying, > “I shouldn’t make this political because they made the Academy Awards political and they went down the tubes,” he expressed confidence in framing it within his political ideology. He remarked, > “They’ll say, ‘Trump made it political,’ but I think, if we make it our kind of political, we’ll go up, OK? Let’s see if I’m right about that.”