Kennedy Center Board Backs 2-Year Closure, Trump Inscription
Will this lead to a needed rescue of a neglected landmark or is it an unlawful personal branding of a public arts icon?
Above: Scaffolding and a large protective tarp covering part of the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 13. Image credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
This vote proves that President Trump was right to force action on restoring the Kennedy Center properly. Rusted steel, failing systems and years of neglect are cause for a full renovation. An inscription for Trump — or any tributes to him — is fair because the president is rescuing and protecting a national treasure for future audiences.
Anti-Trump narrative
Once again, Trump is leading with his ego and ordering his administration and his followers on the Kennedy Center board to disobey court orders. A rushed two-year shutdown, thin support for closure and a workaround inscription would turn a public arts landmark into a vanity project. National monuments deserve lawful stewardship.
