The Unsettling Echo of History: Trump's Second Term and the Threat to Artistic Freedom

A Return to Controversial Policies

The Trump administration's renewed focus on the arts has sparked alarm. Reviving previously rescinded executive orders, the administration is pushing for a Neoclassical aesthetic in federal buildings and resurrecting the "National Garden of American Heroes," a collection of statues celebrating figures like Barry Goldwater and Vince Lombardi.

A Chilling Power Grab

Even more concerning is the administration's tightening grip on arts funding and institutions. The National Endowment for the Arts has shifted grant priorities, eliminating funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives while favoring projects celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary.

In a move that stunned many, Trump ousted the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, installing himself as chair and proclaiming a "GOLDEN AGE of American Arts and Culture" on Truth Social, punctuated by pronouncements against "DRAG SHOWS" and other perceived "ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA."

Disturbing Parallels

Trump's rhetoric on art bears an unsettling resemblance to historical figures. His pronouncements on purging "Cultural decay" eerily echo Adolf Hitler's 1937 speech at the Great German Art Exhibition, raising serious concerns about the direction of the administration's cultural policy.

This convergence of artistic sentiments is more than a coincidence. While some may dismiss Trump's actions as mere eccentricity, the MAGA movement's heightened interest in the arts signals a potentially dangerous turn. The first Trump administration largely left cultural institutions untouched; the second term tells a different story.

The Fascist Obsession with Control

Trump's focus on the Kennedy Center may appear to be a bizarre vanity project, a dalliance in dilettantism. However, it reflects a deeper, more troubling pattern. Fascism, by its very nature, seeks to control culture. Trump's actions are not simply narcissistic displays but rather evidence of a continuing fascist creep.

Like Hitler, who meticulously planned a triumphalist New Berlin with architect Albert Speer, Trump understands the power of imagery and spectacle. "Hitler’s obsession with aesthetics was not merely a personal quirk," writes Frederic Spotts, "but a central driving force behind his political vision." This "Cultural Struggle," or Kulturkampf, as it was known in Nazi Germany, echoes Andrew Breitbart’s assertion that "politics is downstream from culture." The chilling implication is that a culture war never remains contained, nor does it remain solely about culture.

The Aesthetics of Fascism

As Susan Sontag eloquently argued, fascism is not simply an ideology but an aestheticized politics, emphasizing a stark dichotomy between “the clean and the impure.” This was evident in the Great German Art Exhibition, which promoted artists who embodied Nazi ideals. The contrasting Degenerate Art Exhibition, ironically more popular, featured works by modernists like Picasso and Kandinsky, artists whom Hitler deemed "a disgrace." A similar sentiment was echoed by Trump in recent comments about the Kennedy Center.

Trump's Personal Stakes

Trump shares with Hitler more than just an aesthetic preference for the prosaic and nationalistic; he recognizes the strategic importance of controlling the arts. He is consolidating his power over cultural institutions just as he is over other aspects of government.

In his first term, Trump faced significant backlash from the cultural sector, especially Hollywood. This time, he seems determined to silence dissent. The fascist focus on cultural control may stem from deeper psychological impulses, as perhaps exemplified by Hitler’s obsession with his own failed artistic aspirations.

Trump, while not a painter, has always craved the spotlight. He has effectively become a performer on a global stage. Just as Hitler harnessed the creative energies of German culture for nefarious purposes, Trump embodies a uniquely American brand of spectacle. The Nazis exploited German kitsch; MAGA traffics in Americana.

A Call to Action

Trump recently shared an AI-generated image of himself conducting the National Orchestra, captioned, "Welcome to the New Kennedy Center!" As this self-proclaimed maestro takes the podium, artists and critics must ask themselves: how do we safeguard our artistic souls in this precarious moment?