By Dawoud Kringle

President Trump has once again damaged the arts in the US. This time, it was his takeover of the Kennedy Center last February.

In the first month of his second term, the president ousted the arts institution’s leadership, including chair David M. Rubenstein. He then filled the board of trustees with Trump loyalists and announced he had been elected chair. He appointed unqualified cronies, including Second Lady Usha Vance and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

In a statement to The Wall Street Journal, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “The Kennedy Center learned the hard way that if you go woke, you will go broke. President Trump and his newly appointed board members are devoted to rebuilding the Kennedy Center into a thriving and highly respected institution where all Americans and visitors from around the world can enjoy the arts with respect to America’s great history and traditions.”

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