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Ben Folds Resigns From National Symphony Orchestra Role as Trump Seizes Kennedy Center

Ben Folds has resigned as the artistic advisor for the National Symphony Orchestra as Donald Trump solidified his takeover of the Kennedy Center.

Since then, he’s primarily spearheaded the “Declassified” concert series, which finds the NSO reimagining classical and contemporary music alongside an array of different artists. Last week, Trump announced his plans to gut the board of trustees at the Kennedy Center, including its chairman, billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein. He’s also named Richard Grenell — former ambassador to Germany during Trump’s first term — the center’s interim executive director, and filled the board with loyalists such as Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Second Lady Usha Vance.

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