Trump Goon Melts Down Defending Kennedy Center Disasters

Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell defended the performing arts venue’s controversial Trump-branded renaming by attacking major news outlets rather than addressing why the Washington National Opera ended its 50-year residency. The opera company cited the Kennedy Center’s new business model, which demands performers fund productions entirely in advance—a departure from standard industry practice where ticket sales cover only 30–60% of costs, with grants and donations making up the remainder.

Grenell accused CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Times of encouraging artists to boycott performances without providing evidence, posting on X that “legacy media are left wing activists.” His deflection ignored the concrete operational issue: the Kennedy Center’s funding requirement is incompatible with how opera companies—and most performing arts organizations—operate financially.

The Washington National Opera’s departure represents another institutional rejection of Trump’s attempt to rename the Kennedy Center after himself. The company stated the split was amicable, but the timing reflects broader artist resistance to the renaming decision, which has drawn criticism from cultural leaders and the Kennedy family itself.

Grenell’s response exemplifies the administration’s pattern of blaming media outlets for negative coverage rather than addressing substantive concerns about institutional changes. Grenell previously made similar unsubstantiated claims about media influence on artist decisions regarding the Kennedy Center.

The Kennedy Center’s new funding model appears designed to prioritize corporate or private sponsorship over traditional arts support structures, fundamentally altering how the institution operates. This structural shift, not media pressure, explains why established arts organizations are reconsidering their participation at the venue.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/trump-goon-melts-down-latest-070034608.html)