Grammy-winning banjoist Béla Fleck sparked a political firestorm after withdrawing from an upcoming performance at the Kennedy Center, saying the venue had become “charged and political” and should instead be focused on celebrating art. His decision triggered an angry response from Richard Grenell, the Trump-appointed overseer of the Kennedy Center, who accused Fleck of caving to a “woke mob” and insisted the institution welcomes audiences of all political stripes. Critics quickly pushed back, noting the irony of the administration lecturing artists about politicization after affixing Trump’s name to the cultural landmark. Former GOP Rep. Justin Amash called the move performative, while CNN’s Jim Acosta derided the episode as a “debacle,” arguing the controversy has turned a national arts institution into a partisan embarrassment.
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