# Trump is Made Chair of the Kennedy Center **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [February 12, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248 "2025-02-12T21:55:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 38
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/741 "2026-09-17T23:24:46Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve wondered why Trump has any interest in the Kennedy Center. I think it represents part of high society that is desperate to receive validation from. Sure, it’s great when a whole stadium full of tobacco-chewing rednecks in overalls cheer for you but Trump wants applause from a segment of society that has already decided it has absolutely no use for him. As with various women and children he has encountered over his lifetime, if he isn’t given what he wants he will take it by force. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/742 "2026-09-17T23:27:36Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > I think it represents part of high society that is desperate to receive validation from. Sure, it’s great when a whole stadium full of tobacco-chewing rednecks in overalls cheer for you but Trump wants applause from a segment of society that has already decided it has absolutely no use for him. It seems likely to me. For similar reasons, he’s had a hate on for the NFL and its team owners (nearly all of them billionaires) for decades, because they blocked him from buying a franchise several times in the 1980s. NFL ownership is a very exclusive club, and they didn’t want him in their club. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/743 "2026-09-17T23:33:18Z")
Thirty days notice or…what? And don’t tell me what the judge or congress _can_ do, because there ain’t no Wizard to hand them courage or a heart, respectively. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/744 "2026-09-17T23:37:24Z")
Ironic that Robert Kennedy jr. serves in the Trump Administration. I realize Trump wouldn’t listen to him either. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/745 "2026-09-17T23:40:12Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Congress approved more than $250 million for renovation and repair of the Center. Where did that money go? From Washingtonian Magazine: [What Happens If the Kennedy Center Goes Bankrupt?](https://washingtonian.com/2026/09/15/what-happens-if-the-kennedy-center-goes-bankrupt/) > [@](#): > > In [Georgetown Administrative Law Professor David] Super’s reading of the law, the Kennedy Center’s founding statute does require money to be spent on basic projects like building maintenance. But the language of the recent $257 million renovation appropriation, Super says, seems not to require that money to be spent. Prof. Super is quoted in the article as saying the administration is doing illegal stuff here, but just not by failing to spend the $257 million appropriation, assuming they are not. And AI is telling me that there is nothing on the web to show whether or not any of the $257 million has been spent. P.S. Re the headline on my link, it is misleading. The article explains that they cannot go bankrupt due to being governmental. But just maybe – seems too good to be true – a judge could appoint a nonpartisan receiver. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/746 "2026-09-18T00:41:10Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > > [@aceplace57](#): > > > > I’ve wondered why Trump has any interest in the Kennedy Center. > > I think it represents part of high society that is desperate to receive validation from. It’s absolutely this. This is exactly the reason that 19th century robber barons like the Vanderbilts and the Rockefellers became philanthropists – they could well afford to part with some of their vast wealth in return for acceptance by polite society. Trump doesn’t do philanthropy – to him, it’s all about greed, power, and self-glorification. So he just tried to bulldoze his way into culture by brute force, and completely failed, just like he fails at everything else he does. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/747 "2026-09-18T00:44:42Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I had heard the Kennedy Center was funded with private endowments. I learned otherwise today. It has been funded by both. Donations and taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/748 "2026-09-18T12:10:04Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > He doesn’t have unlimited immunity. If he clearly exceeds his presidential authority, then he’s breaking the law. And then what? If I speed I’m breaking the law, but if for some hypothetical reason the police refuse to issue me citations for doing it, does it really matter? ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/749 "2026-09-18T14:47:35Z")
So a judge says he must give a 30 day notice before any renovation or demolition can occur. Or what? What are the possible consequences Trump might face if he ignores that order? To paraphrase Stalin, “No building, No Problem” 1. Democrat condemnation and probably a congressional censorship. Who cares? His base loves it when he acts decisively and pisses off his enemies. This is a win for Trump 2. Fines? Again, who cares, somebody will pay them for him. 3. Arrest? 0 chance. He’s President and presidential immunity protects him from that. He won’t face any penalties after he leaves office either because he’ll defend himself by saying he was acting within the duties of the office. If there is any legal wrangling going on here it will last well beyond what time Trump has left on this Earth. 4. Impeachment? Who cares? He’s been impeached twice and was never remotely close to being removed from office. That’s a threat with no teeth. 5. Go after the contractors? Again, a fine is pointless because they’ll be paid by Trump supporters (not Trump). If they’re threatened with jail they might simply say they’re acting on the authority of the President of the United States. Even if the order is “illegal” I think they’d still have a valid argument. And let’s remember the words of Nixon, “when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal”. Past experience, look at the East Wing and his ballroom. Courts have tried to stop him every step of the way but he just kept on building. The Supreme Court chose not to act. They explicitly said construction could continue without ruling on the legality of his actions. In other words, by not ruling they’ve made his actions legal. In the end, Trump will face no consequences by ignoring court orders. Just like the ballroom, the Supreme Court will plausibly (though not guaranteed) just roll over. Whatever legal wranglings occur will happen well after the new building is up and would just result in a lot of words on paper. On the plus side, he’ll have a performing arts center dedicated solely to him. Win, Win ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/750 "2026-09-18T14:55:49Z")
I can see Trump having the Kennedy center demolished, but never having a new structure built. And if he violates the latest court ruling about notification, it will just be a Republican lesson to America’s children that the law doesn’t mean anything, and the courts are just a nuisance. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/751 "2026-09-18T14:57:30Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > 1. He won’t face any penalties after he leaves office either because he’ll defend himself by saying he was acting within the duties of the office. I know this will probably be the case, but once he’s out of office, who’s going to pay for his defense? When he doesn’t have any political weight to throw around, when he can’t promise people government positions, when he’s not likely to actually pay them, maybe, finally, lawyers will stop representing him when it means not only will they be putting their law license in jeopardy, but they won’t get paid for it either. Maybe. I doubt it, but I can hope. But, if it does come to that, if enough lawyers decide he’s not worth the risk, maybe prosecutors can finally pounce on him. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/752 "2026-09-18T15:08:10Z")
At best he has 10 years left in his life. His strategy for court cases he’s likely to lose is just to prolong the case as long as possible. Plenty of unreputable lawyers know how to tie up courts with meaningless arguments that will drag the case beyond his lifespan. And if there are any penalties assessed he’ll slow roll those too just like E Jean Carrol. There’s just not enough time left to punish him. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/753 "2026-09-18T15:13:23Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > And if he violates the latest court ruling about notification, it will just be a Republican lesson to America’s children that the law doesn’t mean anything, and the courts are just a nuisance. This is the real damage. Not just children but other unethical people who would use political office for personal gain. We’ve been very lucky in this country to have a successful democracy. Trump is the first President (maybe Nixon too) to introduce such corruption into the system. If it’s not checked we’re in big trouble as a country. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/754 "2026-09-18T15:23:16Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > Plenty of unreputable lawyers know how to tie up courts with meaningless arguments that will drag the case beyond his lifespan. But will they be willing to do that for no pay, no possibility of political gain and the very real chance of ruining their career? Once he’s out of office, defending citizen Trump, ISTM, is going to be like defending a sovereign citizen. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/755 "2026-09-18T18:40:19Z")
Interesting article- > **[Trump’s reason for holding the Kennedy Center hostage doesn’t even make sense...](https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/18/politics/trump-kennedy-center-claims)** > > There is plenty that’s bizarre about President Donald Trump’s attempt to take the Kennedy Center hostage over a judge’s refusal to let him put his name on it. He’s now indicated twice in recent days that he will abandon the center — and even let it... > There is plenty that’s bizarre about President Donald Trump’s [attempt to take the Kennedy Center hostage](https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/16/politics/kennedy-center-name-change-trump) over a judge’s refusal to let him put his name on it. He’s now indicated twice in recent days that he will abandon the center — and even let it be “ripped down” — if the courts don’t change the ruling. > > But high on the bizarreness quotient are Trump’s claims that the Kennedy Center _needs_ him. They just don’t make sense… But Congress last year appropriated $257 million for renovating the building. Trump apparently wants credit for getting Congress to do that — and is trying to hold that funding up to get what he wants. But it’s Congress that put up the money. > > It’s also pretty evident that, to the extent the center is in financial trouble, it coincides with Trump’s efforts to take it over. > > As recently as September 2024, tax documents showed the Kennedy Center [running more than a $41 million surplus](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/530245017) — with $307 million in revenue and $266 million in expenses. > **[Judge says Trump has to give 30 days notice before demolishing Kennedy Center](https://abc7.com/story/trump-photographed-kennedy-center-demolished-sign-venue-says-closure-temporary/19844139/)** > > A judge has directed the Trump administration to provide 30 days' notice of any changes in the Kennedy Center's renovation plans, including any planned demolition. > Congress last year appropriated $257 million for needed renovations. But Trump said in a social media post on Tuesday that those renovations will not take place unless his name is again added onto the building. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/756 "2026-09-18T19:43:35Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Thirty days notice or…what? And don’t tell me what the judge or congress _can_ do, because there ain’t no Wizard to hand them courage or a heart, respectively. I entertain no delusions that Trump cares about a court order. But I believe that so far his Regime has avoided an OPEN defiance of a court order. So if the bulldozers roll this week, we will have crossed that line. Should be impeachable, of course. And with Republicans starting to stray from the path of 100% support-and-compliance with his wishes… Well, none of us should get our hopes up. Still, it’s an interesting situation. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/757 "2026-09-18T20:05:01Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Still, it’s an interesting situation Isn’t that a Chinese curse? “May you live in interesting times” ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/758 "2026-09-18T20:46:52Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > On the plus side, he’ll have a performing arts center dedicated solely to him. He’ll be dead by then. But I doubt anyone but Kid Rock and Ted Nugent would perform there. Fitting as they have as much style and grace as Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/759 "2026-09-19T20:28:19Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > Isn’t that a Chinese curse? “May you live in interesting times” Well, that curse does seem to apply to almost everything in 2026. But specifically, I was noting Republican defections from the Utter Adoration they used to offer Donald----and hoping without getting _too_ invested in hoping. (That something would come of this change in the atmosphere.) In other news: there was a lot of peaceful protest yesterday at the Kennedy Center: human chain and everything: > **[Thousands join protest outside Kennedy Center, expressing concern that Trump...](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/kennedy-center-protest-trump-rcna598694)** > > Protesters talked about the importance of the center as the pinnacle of the nation’s performing arts world. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2026, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248/760 "2026-09-20T02:06:14Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > Isn’t that a Chinese curse? “May you live in interesting times” No, not really, that is mostly a misunderstood translation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248.md?page=37) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-made-chair-of-the-kennedy-center/1014248.md?page=39)