Violin Concertos to Violent Knockouts in Trump’s Washington

Thousands of fans attended seven Ultimate Fighting Championship matches on the White House’s South Lawn. This occurred the day after the National Symphony Orchestra played what could be its final performance at the Kennedy Center, following over a year of unrest at this iconic venue.

On Saturday evening, the orchestra’s musicians played pieces by Gershwin and Schoenberg to a smaller audience than usual. Many attendees feared this might be the last such event at the Kennedy Center for quite some time.

Just a mile away and on the following night, fighters entered a large caged Octagon set up on the White House’s South Lawn. President Trump commemorated the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding by shifting the focus of cultural activities from classic music concerts to mixed martial arts matches.

During his second term, Trump has significantly influenced cultural institutions in Washington. He aimed to eradicate “woke” culture at the Kennedy Center, effectively taking control of the arts institution before shutting it down for a two-year renovation period. Additionally, he proposed banning Smithsonian exhibits that he believes “degrade shared American values.”