It’s time to put our foot down on Donald Trump’s culture-washing game
“Great nominees for the Trump/Kennedy Center, whoops, I mean, Kennedy Center, Awards,” Donald Trump spouted on to his Truth Social platform, revealing not only this year’s nominees but the fact that he, himself, would be hosting it. I’m sure it’s a date in all our diaries.
Really, the Kennedy Center Honors only represents the insidious tip of the iceberg, what with Trump’s plans to rename the historic venue, inserting himself as the chair of the organisation and overhauling its board, and his claim that he was involved in selecting “98%” of this year’s nominees, turning down many whom he considered too liberal.
But more than just bearing his obnoxious orange glare down on the artistic canon of America, this is all part of the much wider cultural game that the US president has set in his sights. He’s embarking on a process of washing the country not only with his highly questionable moral and political standards, but also creating an Avengers-style group of celebrity elites to convey the message for him, until they have taken over. Unlike the Marvel universe, this is one that is definitely not going to save the world.
Trump has many cultural allies lined up in his back pocket, some of whom he has honoured in the latest Kennedy Center list, including the likes of Sylvester Stallone. Don’t be surprised if you see Sydney Sweeney on next year’s tickets, given her recent Republican exposé in the controversial American Eagle advertising campaign. It’s all about creating a club of exclusive MAGA gods, who help indoctrinate society into walking, talking zombies to bow down to the dictator.
His decision to include himself at this year’s awards is just one example of that, but it also extends much further towards those he is trying to lure into the trap. Just take Kiss and Gloria Gaynor as his two most prominent next victims, having been lauded as the newest Kennedy Center recipients. While, in general, it’s hardly a shock that Trump has selected them for their previous moral track records, it also begs further questions on the validity of those being enshrined in legend.
You can’t shake the feeling that if these were younger artists right at the bullseye of the cultural zeitgeist, there would be – quite rightly – uproar and pressure for them to remain on the right side of history and take a stand, not least by firstly revoking the honour. But since Kiss, Gaynor, George Strait, and Michael Crawford, respectively, are older, more set in their ways, and seemingly more deserving of their legend status, there’s just… crickets.
It’s almost a sense of resignation and consignment that Trump can honour whoever he chooses, without backlash, as long as it’s not someone with the mainstay artistic relevance of today. Let’s not beat about the bush: any ordinary 18-year-old scrolling through their social feeds is not likely to register anything about the Kennedy Center, let alone know who Kiss, Gaynor, and their cronies are. It’s an appeal, undeniably, to the older generations, which is then set to trickle down.
This top-heavy effect is ultimately what allows Trump’s culture-washing game to thrive, as he casts his net wide to engulf such legendary cultural figures, in the hopes that it will then manifest into younger and younger circles as time goes on. Of course, those he has honoured at this point will likely consider two very narrow options – either accept the award because they recognise its status, and simply consign themselves to the fact that the president is a by-product of that, or gladly sign on the dotted line because they are actually one of his supporters.
But we shouldn’t have to put up with this any longer. Nobody should just pardon an artist for their questionable actions because of age, legacy, or impact. Frankly, if you’re still living and breathing, you’re still part of the current culture, and stars of this kind shouldn’t just instantly be allowed a free pass due to how beloved they may be.
Let’s call it out for what it is – a last-ditched attempt at the limelight, and if they are willing to associate themselves with the world’s biggest tyrant under that pretence, then they deserve to be cancelled arguably more than some young artist who may make a misguided social media post. If these legacy acts truly still had the backbone to stand up to Trump, it may just be the catalyst for ending his culture-washing tirade on the rest of society.
But as things stand, much like other elderly people, their backs have given way just as much as their morals, and cosying up to Trump in the name of lavish awards is their only way to claw back some current attention. Down with the honours, then down with the administration.
