Ben Folds told a congressional forum on Tuesday that Donald Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center changed the institution in major ways, according to Billboard. The hearing was held to draw attention to Trump’s so-called vanity projects.
Folds, who served for nearly a decade as artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra, said the center had been apolitical during his time there. He said that changed after Trump removed several board members and made himself chairman in February 2025.
During his testimony, Folds said the Kennedy Center became a “hyper-politicized environment.” He added that, in his view, “when you politicize art, you’ve got propaganda.”
Folds also said artists could no longer appear at the venue without their decision being read as support for or opposition to Trump’s administration. He said he could not trust that performers would be safe from retaliation, and that he resigned for that reason.
The forum also included testimony from other speakers who criticized Trump’s spending on projects including White House renovations, changes to the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool and a proposed arch in Washington, D.C. Folds said the Kennedy Center takeover damaged the institution’s business model and its original mission.
