Kennedy Center at Risk: Restore Bipartisan Oversight and Public Control

The Kennedy Center, established as a national memorial authorized by Congress to honor President John F. Kennedy, is not meant to be a personal project of any president. Nonetheless, Donald Trump is openly claiming sole authority over its closure, reconstruction, and direction, while the current board is filled with his political appointees, effectively undermining the Center’s independence. This concentration of power bypasses the intended safeguard of requiring board approval. Congress must step in now to ensure proper oversight, remove politically influenced board members, and prevent any efforts to rebrand or close a national cultural institution without real bipartisan approval. This issue should unite both Republicans and Democrats. No president should have the power to seize control of an American memorial, fill its board with loyalists, and reshape it unilaterally.