Trump-Style Culture Wars Cross the Atlantic: Kennedy Center Crisis Could Happen in Europe, Warns Le Monde

In a column published this week, Le Monde journalist Michel Guerrin warned that the political takeover of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., under former President Donald Trump is no longer an isolated American phenomenon. According to Guerrin, for the past three years, far-right leaders across Europe—along with some from the traditional right and even the left—have increasingly echoed Trumpist rhetoric, arguing that culture must serve elected officials and that artists who 'tarnish' the country with public funds should be sidelined.

The Kennedy Center, a premier cultural institution in the U.S. capital, became a flashpoint during Trump's presidency when his administration sought to reshape its programming and leadership, prompting accusations of political interference. Guerrin draws a direct parallel to Europe, where similar efforts to condition public arts funding on political loyalty have gained traction. He cites examples of far-right parties in countries such as Hungary, Poland, and France pushing to defund or marginalize artists deemed unpatriotic or critical of the government. 'What is happening to the Kennedy Center was once unimaginable, but it can happen in Europe,' Guerrin writes, underscoring a broader erosion of the arm's-length principle that has long protected cultural institutions from political whims.

The column's warning comes amid rising concerns among European artists and free-speech advocates that cultural policy is being weaponized to silence dissent. If the trend continues, it could undermine the continent's rich tradition of state-supported but independent arts, potentially leading to a chilling effect on creative expression. Guerrin's analysis serves as a call to action for European policymakers and civil society to defend artistic freedom before the Trumpist playbook becomes fully entrenched across the Atlantic.