Former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, known for her elegance, once served as an honorary chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which was named after her late husband, President John F. Kennedy. President Dwight Eisenhower first envisioned the cultural center in 1959, located on the east bank of the Potomac River, as an “artistic mecca”. However, just before being sworn in for a second term, former President Donald Trump announced on social media that he would become the chairman of the Kennedy Center and terminate multiple individuals from the board of trustees, including chairman David Rubenstein.
Trump criticized the Kennedy Center for featuring Drag Shows targeting youth, stating that it must reflect the brightest stars from across the country. Although he has not publicly spoken against drag, Trump has taken actions against transgender individuals, seeking to ban transgender student athletes from competing in women’s sports and cutting funding for schools that do not comply. Furthermore, he issued an executive order that could potentially block transgender athletes from participating in the 2028 Olympics.
Despite Trump’s claims of immediately terminating Rubenstein, the Kennedy Center’s website indicated that Rubenstein was retiring in January 2025. It was also announced that Rubenstein would lead the Kennedy Center Foundation, a new organization focusing on advancing national philanthropic support for the Kennedy Center. The Kennedy Center, described as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, attracts millions of visitors each year to enjoy over 2,000 performances and is home to the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera.
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