Ben Folds, the former artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, has publicly criticised Donald Trump's takeover of the Washington arts institution, saying he resigned because he could no longer guarantee the safety of artists from political retribution. Speaking at a congressional forum, the musician said politicising the venue had turned it into a tool for propaganda, undermining its artistic mission and deterring performers from appearing there.

Folds made the comments on Tuesday at a Democratic-convened forum, "Monumental Waste: How Donald Trump Is Spending Millions Destroying American Landmarks," led by Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Robert Garcia. He recalled being appointed the Kennedy Center's first artistic advisor under Trump's first administration, bringing in artists such as Jon Batiste and Sara Bareilles, before resigning after Trump installed his own board and made himself chair. He also disputed Trump's justification that the centre was in financial difficulty, insisting it had enjoyed sold-out shows and profitable years. Trump has since put his name on the building and proposed a two-year closure for renovations, though a judge ruled in May that the renaming was unlawful and temporarily blocked the closure following a lawsuit from Congresswoman Joyce Beatty.