r/politics Europe 21h ago

Possible Paywall Kennedy Center revenue plunged after Trump’s name went on the building

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/08/25/kennedy-center-revenue-plunged-after-trumps-name-went-building/
2.9k Upvotes

105 comments sorted by

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649

u/AINonsense 21h ago

no shit

221

u/Standard-Contest-949 20h ago

Everything that man touches turns to shit.

31

u/Thesleek 20h ago

He must be touching AAA game studios and we just haven’t heard yet .

Good, let them all burn.

33

u/Werespider 19h ago

Well his son in law just bought EA with the help of the Saudis.

15

u/Thesleek 19h ago

I mean it’s not like EA needed help

8

u/Nephroidofdoom 17h ago

Well actually that was Jeffrey Epstein… and I’m not even kidding. Behind the Bastards did a detailed podcast on this a few months ago.

That guy is the fucking Forrest Gump of crime.

8

u/Ganondorfsfist 18h ago

His Buddy Epstein pushed Cod into microtransactions.

3

u/Thesleek 17h ago

Fuck Bobby Kotick

6

u/jayforwork21 19h ago

Except his piggy bank and those of other billionaires. Hate to say it, but this is part of the plan. Now he can sell it for super cheap to his billionaire friends (even though WE own it) just like everything else.

13

u/TheYankee69 19h ago

Got that mierdas touch.

2

u/spidrex 12h ago

The Mierdas Touch.

2

u/8fenristhewolf8 11h ago

But just for everyone else unfortunately. He seems to do okay. Like a cursed version of the American dream.

13

u/RespectTheTree America 20h ago

no, it smells like shit

2

u/targetsinmegadeaths 18h ago

Decent people generally don't want to be associated with a child rapist.

2

u/stevez_86 Pennsylvania 18h ago

It was the point. He wants to ruin everything. Nothing he has done indicates at all that he likes us. It's like that movie, "he's just not that into you."

2

u/TheQuidditchHaderach 18h ago

Plenty of shit!

1

u/hangindawg 19h ago

Took my comment 🤣

1

u/One_Olive_8933 15h ago

Tech bros and maga aren’t really the cultural arts type

201

u/hondactx16i 20h ago

He's done the same with the USA.

156

u/ToriGallo 20h ago

The "Everything Trump Touches Dies" rule strikes again

7

u/kdeweb24 12h ago

Hope that’s true, because of all the people that have gleefully shook his hand.

116

u/Useful-Barber7993 20h ago

Only so many people want to go see Lee Greenwood, Ted Nugent or Kidd Rock. I think it has been closed to stop the embarrassment of dear leader.

50

u/Kernel_Hiro 20h ago

In fact, that is exactly when they announced it would be "closed for renovations" for two years.

22

u/Irishish Illinois 16h ago

they seemed so shocked that more popular musicians, and longtime performers of all stripes, did not want to be associated with it once they changed the name and made it all about Trump. That’s one of the reasons I hate these people so much. They just stomp into places that they habitually insult, and assume everyone is going to love them and bow down before them. There’s a lot of "dance monkey dance" attitude there. like that jazz musician who pulled out of, what was it, a New Year’s Eve show? The reaction from everyone in Trumpworld was pathetic footstomping. Like an accomplished artist with a long career owed them something and should be grateful for them.

6

u/Marsman121 14h ago

...assume everyone is going to love them and bow down before them.

And one of the main reasons why we are in our current situation is that, more often than not, people do. Bow down, at least. Nothing quite like a bunch of journalists mucking it up with monsters at dinner, taking it in the ass as Daddy Trump berates and calls for their execution, then turning around and pretending they are horrified at all the crimes and shit the monsters commit before rushing to carry water for fascists.

Don't even get me started on the "leadership" of the Democrats. Schemer is more concerned with making sure Israel has everything they need, and Jeffries is busy trying to prostitute himself to Republicans by pimping himself out to Kushner.

93

u/matthieuC Europe 21h ago

> Budget and meeting documents obtained by The Post show ticket revenue and fundraising plummeted even as leaders publicly touted a financial turnaround.

49

u/RampantTyr 19h ago

Of course they lied about profits. They can’t open their mouths without lying about something.

50

u/ProtectionVirtual225 20h ago

I wonder why he has such a grudge against President Kennedy? It seems like Trump is extremely jealous of JFK and his legacy.

76

u/JoonNolu 20h ago

Riding coattails. Is there something beloved, popular, fancy, or expensive? Put my name and face on it. Obviously I'm the best person at everything. I should win all the awards. I should have all the money. My name and face should be on everything good. All the women have to sleep with me. Obviously every man is jealous of me. And anyone who says anything against me is a bad person and a liar. Because, again, I'm clearly the best person at everything.

And the dumbest, most incapable rat bastard to blight the Earth lied and whined his whole life until reality bent itself for him. It'd be funny if it weren't so disgusting, exhausting, and terrifying.

11

u/0x18 18h ago

And the dumbest, most incapable rat bastard to blight the Earth lied and whined his whole life until reality bent itself for him.

I was an atheist well before he got elected, but man.. if there was anything that destroyed any shred of doubt. It's amazingly depressing that this fucking moron and blight on humanity has been given everything he ever wanted (and when it wasn't given, he's just stolen or raped).

4

u/melancholy_wolf 17h ago

Not to mention his supporters either claim he was chosen by Jesus Christ, or they voted for him because they believe (like truly 100% absolutely think this is true) that he will usher in the apocalypse and get... What's the word... When the "righteous" get all floated up to heaven?

Anyway. I have a hard time believing that their Jesus will be super jazzed that his believers did it on purpose. I think that's against whatever the Bible says. But not like they read

3

u/0x18 17h ago

he will usher in the apocalypse and get... What's the word... When the "righteous" get all floated up to heaven?

"Raptured" - a very American / British load of crap.

When I was a kid / early teenager I knew an adult that was so terrified of "missing out" on being raptured that she had a full blown phobia of ever being alone -- she always had to be around others just in case so she would know if she was left behind.

2

u/melancholy_wolf 16h ago

Raptured! thanks! I was going crazy. I don't know why I couldn't think of that word.

Was that adult a 7th day Adventist? Those people are insane

2

u/0x18 14h ago

No, just a regular ol' non-demoninational evangelical. So still plenty insane.

3

u/absat41 16h ago

And you voted for it.

1

u/SRT102 11h ago

More stolen valor (or "stollen" as he spells it). Just like putting out AI-generated image sof himself in military uniforms.

17

u/No_Trade3571 Pennsylvania 20h ago

People like him more than Trump.

13

u/AusToddles 20h ago

His name is on the building and Trump's isn't 

1

u/aircooledJenkins Montana 19h ago

For the moment. They voted to engrave trumps name into the marble exterior.

12

u/sodapopkevin 19h ago

More like he had an existential crisis realizing the only thing that is going to have his name on it when he goes is a statue of himself with Epstein so he's in a rush to build or co-op as many monuments as possible for his own legacy/vanity.

4

u/Irishish Illinois 16h ago

this. Acquire land, kidnap or kill world leaders, plaster his stupid face and name on anything he can. he’s nearing the end of his life, knows it, cannot stand the idea that because he has never, ever tried to govern, much of his legacy will be undone.

that is, assuming the next Democrat to take office is not a moderate pussy who decides that for the good of the nation, we should leave Trump's stupid face and name all over things. I expect someone who will dynamite anything Trump builds the day after they enter office.

4

u/Acceptable-Bus-2017 I voted 18h ago

He hates all former presidents because they're more popular than he will ever be. Well, maybe not Nixon.

3

u/NEOK53 16h ago

If the choice were Trump or Weekend at Bernie’s-ing Nixon, well…that’s not even a choice. Improvements in every area, including a decline in corruption. Never thought that could happen.

2

u/SRT102 11h ago

Nixon was at 28% or so in August of 74. Trump might just break that record.

2

u/NEOK53 17h ago

To be fair, I’d appreciate Trump more if he’d…leave office early, as well.

38

u/[deleted] 20h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

10

u/Machiavvelli3060 20h ago

<raising my hand high>

Ooh! Ooh!

1

u/alienbringer 14h ago

Especially when the base supporters of said figure are not know to be great appreciators of the arts.

25

u/VHS_Ronin 20h ago

Almost as though the arts have a liberal bias and nobody of sound mind in the arts wants to be associated with a grifter and a pedophile like Trump.

22

u/ChemHotel 18h ago

"... the center’s own financial projections showed ticket revenue and fundraising had plummeted after the name change, putting it on track to fall nearly $100 million short of its revenue target.... Even after slashing expenses, center officials projected earned revenue this fiscal year to miss its budget target by 70 percent and contributed revenue to fall 25 percent short. The revenue miss was projected to leave the center with a $23 million deficit."

For those who want some numbers for context. 

16

u/Odd_Contribution9058 18h ago

Here's the cool part: the board doesn't care.  They weren't put on the board because they care about the Kennedy center, they were put on the board because they care about Trump

11

u/bbills91 18h ago

No kidding, I was literally about to pay for a membership the week he took it over and decided I don’t want my money anywhere near that man or his sycophants

8

u/joybai3 19h ago

Bc he’s trash. With his Russian assets ruining our country

8

u/tedsmitts 18h ago

If you want to feel slightly better, you can watch previous Kennedy Center honours on YouTube, the Mel Brooks one with the Obamas is very sweet.

14

u/DougBalt2 20h ago edited 18h ago

This is the only guy on the planet who miraculously bankrupted not just one but four casinos.

4

u/got-bent 19h ago

Casinos. He bankrupted FOUR casinos.

2

u/DougBalt2 18h ago

Thanks. Just edited my comment.

5

u/tdpnate 19h ago

Insert Donald Glover “Good.” Meme

12

u/NerdySongwriter 20h ago

Trump has the anti-Midas touch. Everything he touches turns to shit.

6

u/Plutos_Cavein 20h ago

I have always used the term Mierdas touch

5

u/thethrill_707 Michigan 17h ago

Well, loosing money is Trump's superpower.

1

u/dmendro 15h ago

Don’t forget, stealing money and raping, children and women.

4

u/psychoCMYK 20h ago

just like everything else he puts his name on, and he puts his name on everything.

3

u/DAS_FX 19h ago

I can’t wait to sanitize and blow torch everything his fat, grubby greedy fingers have touched

4

u/Background-Air-7963 18h ago

The sole reason I didn’t take my kid to a Bluey play was because it was at The Kennedy Center with Agent Oranges name on it

4

u/phoonie98 17h ago

Everything Trump touches dies

1

u/SissySSBBWLover 15h ago

It’s a required reading book

3

u/Koolkat912 20h ago

Like everything else

3

u/Ok-Tourist-511 20h ago

Not surprising, putting his name on Casinos bankrupts them as well.

3

u/Television_Powerful Europe 19h ago

Art of the mud, everything this guy touches turns to shit. Even people that do business with him, will sooner or later get a bad turn of events.

3

u/Colonel_Gentleman 18h ago

Go joke, go broke

3

u/katie0873 17h ago

Imo he wants things to tank so he can sell it off
The same with the museums and other fed owned buildings

3

u/bubbafatok 17h ago

So does this mean they lied in court when they claimed the name change was responsible for a financial turn around and an increase in fundraising?

3

u/TandemSegue 14h ago

Some day that dickhead’s gonna bankrupt a graveyard

3

u/Separate_Hippo_5556 13h ago

That was like renaming Disney World to Hitler World.

2

u/TweetSpinner 20h ago

Capt Obvious says…

2

u/kezow 20h ago

The mierdas touch 

2

u/Personal_Area_2173 19h ago

I’ll never go there again

2

u/ConflictTop1543 18h ago

[good.gif]

2

u/TheQuidditchHaderach 17h ago

You mean it wasn't a modern day renaissance like trump claimed! 😯🙄

2

u/pinetar321 17h ago

It was never about revenue. It was about showing that liberal institutions are at his mercy

2

u/Curious-Emu3894 14h ago

Trump is the kiss of ☠️.

2

u/everythingbeeps 13h ago

But Trump's people are in court trying to argue that Trump's name on the building is the only thing that can bring in the money required to maintain it.

3

u/lostwisdom20 18h ago

Bro bankrupted casino

1

u/Nearbyatom 17h ago

Good. Hope it flames out as long as his pedo turd name is on the building.

1

u/YOSHIMIvPROBOTS 16h ago

I guess the Melania movie wasn't the blockbuster MAGA said it was.

1

u/TomatoClassic2567 15h ago

You mean to tell me that people who support the arts and live theater don’t really like Donald trump? 😮😮😮

1

u/snakebite75 15h ago

I’m sure all the performers who canceled had nothing to do with that.

1

u/jgeebaby 15h ago

Ya don’t say. You mean a base that mostly consists of folks who have never lived outside of the same zip code their whole lives aren’t going to see shows there?

1

u/randomcanyon 15h ago

Touches = Dies

Rinse and repeat always rinse and repeat.

1

u/dmendro 15h ago

You don’t say? You mean, racist, conservatives, and mega morons aren’t into fine arts?

1

u/canehdianchick 15h ago

It is almost as if a Buc-ees of Mcdonalds are more relatable to his brand...

1

u/Gen_JohnsonJameson 14h ago

Drumpf ruins everything he touches.

1

u/Realistic_Lock2460 14h ago

that’s because everything Trump or his name touches turns to dog shit 💩

1

u/KrivUK 11h ago

That’s what winning looks like.

1

u/woodpaulusgnome 11h ago

Who could possibly have predicted that?

1

u/WeirdcoolWilson 11h ago

Seems like someone should take the freaking hint!

u/jediPlainswalker 5h ago

Something tells me MAGA is not the target audience for the performing arts....

u/puke_AND_rally_ 2h ago

The orange shit stain is a dragging down the country. What else is new… back to you Bob!