Looks like Donald Trump has his sights set on a new target—the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In a leaked audio recording from a board meeting obtained by The New York Times, Trump made it clear he thinks the Kennedy Center needs a serious makeover, both in design and in purpose. And, in typical Trump fashion, his plans seem to be all about making it bigger, flashier, and, well, more Trump.

For starters, he’s not a fan of the current look. He called the exposed I-beams an eyesore and wants to cover them up with something more “classy” like marble or granite—because, of course, what’s an iconic performing arts center without a little Trump Tower aesthetic? While he framed this as a much-needed renovation, critics argue that the Kennedy Center, a national landmark, isn’t exactly falling apart.

But it’s not just about the building—Trump also wants to shake up the programming. He reminisced about seeing Cats on Broadway and suggested that the Kennedy Center should focus on similar mainstream productions. And then there’s his idea to expand the Kennedy Center Honors to include athletes and business leaders. He even threw out names like Elvis Presley, Babe Ruth, and Luciano Pavarotti—interesting choices, considering two of them are long gone, and the third was already honored decades ago.

The bigger concern here isn’t just Trump’s taste in entertainment—it’s the fact that he’s stacking the Kennedy Center’s board with his loyalists. This has some people worried that the center, which is supposed to celebrate all of the arts, could become yet another stage for Trump’s personal brand of showmanship. And speaking of making it about himself, he even floated the idea of hosting the Kennedy Center Honors, saying previous hosts were “always terrible” and, naturally, declaring himself the “king of ratings.”

While speaking at the Kennedy Center from the presidential box, he even posed for photos, wanting to get that perfect showman look:

SEE IT: President Trump speaks from the Presidential Box at the Kennedy Center. pic.twitter.com/LtGA02EzKU

— Resist the Mainstream (@ResisttheMS) March 17, 2025

At the end of the day, this all boils down to a familiar Trump playbook: take a respected institution, slap some gold plating on it, and make sure it fits neatly into his personal vision. Whether these plans actually happen remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure—if Trump gets his way, the Kennedy Center might start looking a lot less like a home for the arts and more like an extension of the Trump brand.

Read The New York Times article HERE (gift article, no paywall)