Maddow Blog-Trump exerts control over Kennedy Center Honors, vetoes prospective 'wokester' honorees

[LetMyPeopleVote]

The president found time to lead the Kennedy Center, scrutinize honorees, agree to host its awards ceremony and approve an honor for one of his pals.

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-kennedy-center-honors-host-ceremony-stallone-rcna224819

But let’s not forget about cultural institutions, too. NBC News reported:

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that he would host this year’s Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, his latest move to revamp the Washington, D.C., cultural institution in his image. ‘It’s going to be a big evening. I’ve been asked to host,’ he said Wednesday as he was announcing this year’s Kennedy Center honorees.

.....The president also suggested that he’s inclined to use his role as chair to give himself a Kennedy Center Honor.

Trump: “I said, to hell with it. I'll become chairman. I'll give myself an honor…Next year, we'll honor Trump.”

— The Bulwark (@thebulwark.com) 2025-08-13T16:36:07.864Z

But while it was unclear whether this was intended to be funny, just as notable was the way in which Trump talked about his role at the cultural institution. To hear the Republican tell it, he has maintained a hands-on role, personally rejecting prospective Kennedy Center honorees whom he considered “wokesters.”

Trump says that all of the choices for Kennedy honorees "came through me" and adds that he turned down "some wokesters"

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-08-13T16:16:51.144Z

.....So to review, the sitting American president, who presumably has a day job that keeps him rather busy, has found time to lead the Kennedy Center, personally scrutinize prospective honorees, agree to host the center’s upcoming awards ceremony and approve an honor for one of his pals.

“We took over the Kennedy Center,” Trump boasted in February. Evidently, that was true.

[The Blue Flower]

1. Soviet-style central control

We're living Stalin 2.0.

[Permanut]

2. When he hosts, I think he should wear a uniform that he designed..

with big gold epaulets, lots of gold on his Commander in Chief hat, some gold braids and sashes, and at least 50 medals.

[tanyev]

3. "I've been asked to host"

Did he pick up the phone and call himself? Send himself a message on Truth Social?

[CincyDem]

4. I'm sure John Barron reached out. Maybe David Dennison but probably Barron.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

5. What a despicable, pathetic loser.