Singer-songwriter Ben Folds testified before Congress on 21 July, criticising Donald Trump's overhaul of the Kennedy Center as having turned it into a "hyper-politicized environment." Folds, formerly artistic advisor to the centre's National Symphony Orchestra, said he resigned after concluding he could no longer guarantee performers' safety from political retribution, warning lawmakers that "when you politicize art, you've got propaganda." His testimony formed part of a wider congressional forum examining what Democrats have called Trump's costly "vanity projects."

Trump removed several board members and installed himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center in February 2025. Folds cited the case of singer Yasmin Levy, who was allegedly booed by paid hecklers during a September performance after criticising the board's changes in correspondence with Trump-appointed interim director Richard Grenell. The forum, chaired by Senator Richard Blumenthal, also heard testimony on other contested spending, including White House renovations and changes to the Lincoln Memorial's reflecting pool.