Trump's Cultural Power Grab

Picture this: A man who has never set foot in the Kennedy Center, suddenly becomes its chairman. This is not a story from a movie, but a real-life event that happened in 2022. President Donald Trump, known for his bold moves, took over the prestigious Kennedy Center. He promised a new era of arts and culture, but why should we care? The Kennedy Center is not just a building. It's a symbol of American culture and democracy. It's where the nation's most prestigious arts awards are given out. Trump's takeover is more than just a change in leadership. It's a strategic move that could reshape American culture and democracy. Trump's takeover is not an isolated incident. It's part of a larger plan. Since his first campaign, Trump has been using entertainment platforms to connect with the public. He has appeared on popular shows, created documentaries, and even streamed live events. This strategy has paid off. He has built a new celebrity ecosystem and gained the support of major content distribution platforms. But why is this a big deal? Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center is not just about arts and culture. It's about power. The Kennedy Center is one of the most influential cultural institutions in the country. It sets the boundaries of acceptable discourse and defines what American society considers valuable and reasonable. Trump's takeover represents the formal institutionalization of the cultural reformation he's been architecting since his famous Trump Tower escalator descent. This cultural capture becomes particularly crucial as his administration's reduction of government services and infrastructure begins to impact daily life. By establishing cultural narratives that contextualize hardship as necessary sacrifice, Trump could potentially shield himself and his congressional allies from electoral consequences. In a Truth Social post previewing his planned actions on tariffs, the president laid out this very framework, that any increases in costs paid by consumers is the cost of a great nation and not reckless trade policy. Recent studies highlight the critical role of entertainment in shaping public opinion. According to Nielsen’s “State of Streaming” report from 2023, the average American consumes nearly 6 hours of video content daily. Trump himself is said to watch at least 4 hours of TV a day, and to have directed close aides to plan as if each day is a TV show wherein he vanquishes his rivals . Meanwhile, Democratic strategists who dismiss Trump supporters as “low-information voters” misunderstand a fundamental truth: All content carries information. Rather than focusing solely on policy explainers and traditional journalism, progressive donors and media investors should consider investing in entertainment that reinforces democratic values in order to re-engage with the voters they’ve lost in previous cycles. The battle for America’s future will be won or lost not just at the ballot box, but on TV and phone screens, stages, concert venues, and cultural institutions across the nation.