Trump asks Congress for Kennedy Center repair funds
Trump asks Congress for Kennedy Center repair funds as he plans to attend first show
President Donald Trump will attend his first show next month at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts since becoming the chairman of its board, as he pushes for funds from Congress to repair the venue.
Trump will headline a fundraiser for the center, where he will appear “as a special guest and friend of the Kennedy Center” and will not be “directly soliciting donations,” prior to the opening night performance of Les Misérables, per an invitation obtained by ABC News. The fundraiser will reportedly have different sponsorship levels, including a “gold” level, for those who donate $2 million, featuring a performance box and a photo with the president.
A White House official confirmed the reception and Trump’s attendance at the performance of Les Misérables next month to the Washington Examiner. The Kennedy Center declined to comment.
The president has taken interest in the Kennedy Center since returning to the White House, remaking the board of the performing arts center in Washington. He called for the venue to be repaired and vowed to “make it great again.”
“I’ve been hearing reports, and I thought it was very important to make this good,” Trump said at a Kennedy Center board meeting in March. “It’s a very big part of the fabric of Washington, D.C. We’re going to make our capital great again just like we’re going to make our country great again.”
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved a budget proposal last week that would give the Kennedy Center roughly $256.7 million for “capital repair and restoration of the building and site,” along with “operation, maintenance, and security” and “administrative expenses.”
The funding figure is nearly six times as much the performing arts center typically receives in federal funds. The additional funds were requested by the president, per a report from the New York Times.
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME), the ranking member on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, blasted the request, noting that the Trump administration has axed several arts grants.
“It’s hard to ignore the red flags here,” Pingree said. “We need transparency on how this money would be spent — and assurance it’s not being used to reward loyalty or bankroll pet projects under the guise of cultural investment.”
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Trump’s attendance at a Les Misérables performance will not be the first time the show has made an appearance in his political career.
During a rally in Miami ahead of the 2016 presidential election, Trump walked out to the song “Can You Hear the People Sing” from the play. He also stood in front of a video board showing an image invoking the play’s artwork with the text “Les Deplorables,” mocking rival Hillary Clinton’s insult toward his supporters.
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