Ben Folds is speaking out about why he left his role with the National Symphony Orchestra, saying President Donald Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center created an environment where artists could be exposed to political retaliation. Folds, who served as the first artistic adviser to the National Symphony Orchestra, made the comments during a July 21 congressional forum convened by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.). The forum focused on Trump’s handling of major U.S. landmarks, including the Kennedy Center, the White House East Wing and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Why Folds Resigned
Folds said he had been brought in to help curate programming and connect artists including Jon Batiste and Sara Bareilles with the orchestra. But after Trump installed his own board members and named himself chair, Folds said the job changed. “With the new partisan toxic environment under the current administration, I could not trust that artists I booked at the Kennedy Center would be safe from retribution if they said or sung something that might displease the president or his political lackeys who now controlled the Center,” Folds said. “I could not perform my job or the mission I was brought on to do, and for this reason, with great sadness, I had no choice but to resign.”
