this post was submitted on 01 Jan 2026
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358
‘Their first instinct was to loot’: how Trump’s acolytes are plundering the Kennedy Center (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 4 days ago by HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works to c/news@lemmy.world
46 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

“That’s the tactic they use,” said Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island senator, pondering whether Donald Trump might attach his name to the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. “You float stuff and you float stuff and you float stuff until people get inured to what a stupid or outrageous thing it is that has been floated and then you pull the trigger.”

Whitehouse was sitting in his Senate office and speaking to the Guardian at 11am on Thursday 18 December. Two hours later, his words proved prophetic. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, announced on X that the Kennedy Center board had “voted unanimously” to rename it the Trump-Kennedy Center.

In November Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate environment and public works (EPW) committee, launched a formal investigation into allegations of widespread cronyism, financial mismanagement and corruption at what he describes as a “secular temple to the arts”.

Democrats on the committee said they obtained documents that suggest the national cultural centre is being operated as a “slush fund and private club for Trump’s friends and political allies”, resulting in millions of dollars in losses and a significant deviation from its statutory mission.

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[–] foodandart@lemmy.zip 46 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (5 children)

Am thinking that the ballroom he's building should be turned into a museum that highlights the corruption of Presidents past, including a whole room dedicated to the criminality of the Trump regime, including naming and shaming those who enabled and were enabled by him.

His Administration is so poor that when the inevitable bottom drops out on the economy and the MAGA folks - who, let's face it, aren't the brightest or most financially adept - hit rock bottom ad lose the last few teeth they have.. I think there's going to be a quick turn from people even admitting they supported the clown.

Failing at various businesses and getting the middle-class taxpayers to fund it is one thing, but failing the entire country that takes one's own voting base down, is another.

Hang on to your hats folks, this is going to be one bumpy ride.

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago

A better idea is to bulldoze it.

And I'm still not convinced that the vast population of rubes will ever accept that they've been taken for a ride. If they do realize it, there'll be hell to pay, but the signs so far is that their authoritarian-enablling culture overrides any anger at being made a sucker.

[–] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 24 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I don't think the ballroom will actually be built. I think it's just another way to launder a bunch of money and it will all go into mysterious pockets and Trump will say the Democrats stopped him and no one needs to worry about the money anyway because it all came from private donations (AKA bribes to get government contracts).

[–] Kirp123@lemmy.world 12 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Yeah, the moment he said the ballroom will be funded from private donations you knew he just pocketed the money. He probably was aware that there will be a trial and the construction will be stopped while that is going on, so meanwhile the money got spent. Also I am curious if he loses the trial who foots the bill for rebuilding the West Wing? My bet is on the taxpayers.

[–] foodandart@lemmy.zip 9 points 4 days ago

The next Administration is going to have to claw back Trump property (I think they should just take it) to return that capital to the taxpayers.

[–] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

Pay for it with the $1 billion fine on trump from his corruption trials.

[–] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago

Jackhammer the concrete on the rose garden and restore it. Strip the ballroom of anything of value and auction it off. Then put plywood over the windows and use it for a warehouse until it can be torn down and the east wing rebuilt. Put a tax on golf resorts to pay for it.

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 9 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Absolutely. And the stupid decorations in the Oval Office should be torn down and the office left in shambles. Then there should be a 24-year (or greater) moratorium on redecorating in any way that isn't a serious safety issue.

[–] IronBird@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

i feel like it would almost be better just to leave it as is and build a 2nd white house right next to it. occasional tours but otherwise leave the 1st to crumble into dust

[–] Kirp123@lemmy.world 7 points 4 days ago

Just call the Canadians to set it on fire again.

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 7 points 4 days ago (4 children)

Ohh, that sounds amazing

My idea was to just bulldozer that shit right after he's gone and bring back everything to how it was and continue from there, but this is better. Leave. A place where people can learn what stupid shit can happen when you vote for fascists

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago

What really should happen is that nothing of Trump's remains. Full rollback. Every single decision and appointment undone. Every executive order, rescinded, no exceptions. All income that he and his family cannot prove was gained honestly, confiscated, and the same goes for assets. Trump's name stripped off every edifice, public or private. If you want a monument to folly, put a gold-leafed crapper on a plinth somewhere, and bury Trump under the outflow pipe.

[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 8 points 4 days ago

My idea was to just bulldozer that shit right after he's gone

Given his track record with contractors, it'll be so shoddily built it will probably fall down on its own. Maybe even before the construction is complete.

[–] BorgDrone@feddit.nl 6 points 4 days ago

My idea was to just bulldozer that shit right after he's gone

No need, that abomination is never going to get built.

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Personally I'm not letting go of the idea of either burning it down or just letting it rot while turning the rest of the white house into a museum. President can live in a crackshak for all I care, frankly speaking I think they are far too secured for something so easily replaced, if they get mugged in a Denny's parking lot it shouldn't even appear on the news.

[–] lka1988@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 days ago

burning it down

Wouldn't be the first time the White House was set ablaze.

I can get behind that.

[–] Angelevo@feddit.nl 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Sure, a museum to remember the corruption would be good. Just leave out all identifying information, his name, his visage, nothing about the person and his regime. Only the story.

These people should be forgotten by time. We only need to remember their actions.

[–] foodandart@lemmy.zip 3 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I actually like this idea. Perhaps the next President keeps the Hall of Presidents pictures/paintings up but leaves just Donald J Trump's name up on the plaque and no picture. Just a name that states yeah, there was this dude that was the 45th and then the 47th President. Nothing else.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Unfortunately, and ironically, he will be one of the most studied presidents in history. He will be the subject of books and Masters and PhD theses for the rest of this century.

[–] foodandart@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 days ago

Well, as long as it's left to academia and not made into a "movie of the week' scenario..

The govenrment and the media should offer little more than the damming accolades of faint praise.

[–] Angelevo@feddit.nl 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Cheers. I do think it is very important to be far more respectful than he is, what with the stupid autopen BS. It is so tempting to put up a picture of a rotting turd... That is just not the example one should set for the people. :x

[–] foodandart@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 days ago

Respectfully, there is not much less that can be done than just put up a plaque with a name on it as a mere placeholder. If an image must be used, let it be that painted portrait that he hated.

[–] zd9@lemmy.world 42 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I'm really in the mood for some nice warm French onion soup and baguettes all of a sudden

[–] velindora@lemmy.cafe 23 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Ahh yes. Guillotine, breakfast of champions.

[–] zd9@lemmy.world 9 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I was just talking about food since I'm hungry

[–] West_of_West@piefed.social 14 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Me too. Eat the rich!

[–] zd9@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

lmao

[–] ksigley@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago

I love that you attempted to keep it subtle and they were like, "Nope, fuck fascism".

[–] SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world 30 points 4 days ago

Remember.

No matter who is in office, once a public good is taken away, we will never get it back. So whatever they're able to abolish or privatize, it's toast.

[–] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 18 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I really hope there is a real corruption investigation into all of these crooks after Trump is dragged out.

[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 11 points 4 days ago

Unless they get dragged out into Nuremberg 2.0, they will never see justice

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Narrator (very drunk): sigh and of course there wasn't...

[–] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 7 points 4 days ago

Let me live in my fantasy

[–] floquant@lemmy.dbzer0.com 23 points 4 days ago

This is stuff for the history books, and just gets drowned in the noise of awfulness.

How sad

[–] Luminous5481@anarchist.nexus 12 points 4 days ago

How shocking.

[–] kmartburrito@lemmy.world 14 points 4 days ago

[–] alsimoneau@lemmy.ca 0 points 4 days ago

Why is there 2 Kenedy centers, it's very confusing.

[–] Jomega@lemmy.world -2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Sheldon Whitehouse

There is no way that's a real person's name.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] Jomega@lemmy.world 12 points 4 days ago

The people in charge of writing this simulation are getting real fucking lazy.