Ben Folds to Congress on Trump’s Kennedy Center Takeover: “When You Politicize Art, You’ve Got Propaganda”
Ben Folds, the former artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at Washington's Kennedy Center, testified before a bicameral congressional forum on Tuesday 21 July, warning that Donald Trump's takeover of the venue had turned it into a "hyper-politicized environment". Folds argued that the Kennedy Center had long functioned as a neutral, apolitical institution until the Trump administration removed board members, installed the president as chairman and appointed supporters who overhauled its programming, eliminating what he called the "firewall" between politics and the centre's nonprofit mission.
Folds, who was appointed to his advisory role in 2017 and stepped down in February 2025, spoke for around five and a half minutes at the forum led by Senator Richard Blumenthal. He said the changes had left artists in an impossible position, citing guitarist Yasmin Williams, who was heckled by conservative activists last September after questioning the Center's direction while also facing criticism from the left for performing there at all. Folds concluded that the takeover had "hobbled" the Kennedy Center and damaged its previously successful business model and founding mission.
In short
- Ben Folds testified to Congress against Trump's Kennedy Center takeover
- He says the venue became "hyper-politicized," producing "propaganda"
- Cited artist Yasmin Williams being heckled from both political sides
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The Kennedy Center was established as a nonpartisan institution serving all Americans regardless of politics, functioning as vital common ground in a divided society. When an administration restructures governance and programming to reflect partisan preferences, it transforms a public institution into a vehicle for political messaging, undermining its founding mission and the artistic independence that diverse audiences and performers expect. Cultural institutions that transcend party politics are essential to pluralistic democracy.
The case against
Presidential influence over cultural institutions is both inevitable and legitimate, reflecting an administration's proper authority to shape institutions through board appointments and directional decisions. The notion of institutional neutrality may be overstated, as all cultural programming necessarily embodies curatorial choices reflecting values; what critics call politicisation might represent a different but equally valid artistic vision. An elected president exercising this authority democratically need not inherently compromise the institution's core cultural mission.
Explained simply
The Kennedy Center in Washington DC is one of America's largest and most prestigious venues for performing arts, presenting theatre, music and dance. Since its founding in 1964, it has operated as a non-partisan institution, serving audiences from across the political spectrum and commissioning work from diverse artists. Its role as a neutral cultural space has been central to its public mission and reputation.
In recent years, the Trump administration made significant changes to the Kennedy Center's structure and direction. It removed members from the venue's board, installed the president as its chairman, and appointed supporters who altered programming decisions and strategy. These changes prompted questions about whether the institution could maintain its historical separation from partisan politics.
This matters because arts venues like the Kennedy Center have traditionally provided spaces where artists and audiences can gather regardless of political affiliation. When such institutions become closely associated with particular political movements or leaders, it can create tensions for performers deciding whether to participate, and may undermine the venues' ability to serve audiences across the political spectrum. The relationship between cultural institutions and politics is therefore central to how American artistic life functions.
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