On his inaugural visit to the Kennedy Center as the newly appointed chairman of its board, President Trump expressed his thoughts on Broadway productions, dancers donned in silk tights, the Potomac River, and Elvis Presley.
However, in a more intimate setting at the beginning of a board meeting on Monday, Mr. Trump shared something he often avoids in larger forums: a personal story from his youth.
He revealed to the gathered board members that he had exhibited notable musical talent as a child, following aptitude assessments initiated by his parents, according to three attendees.
He recounted how he could identify piano notes, sharing this with board members, some of whom he has known for years and others who are relatively new. Nevertheless, he stated that his father, Fred Trump, disapproved of his musical inclinations, as relayed by attendees, and that he never fostered his talent. One individual remarked that Mr. Trump seemed to be lightheartedly referencing his father.
“I’ve got a high aptitude for music,” he stated at one moment, according to those present. “Can you believe that?”
“That’s why I have such a passion for music,” he continued.
These comments from Mr. Trump have not been reported prior. They were not included in the audio recording of the board meeting that The New York Times acquired this week.
However, this is a narrative he has recounted privately, as shared by someone familiar with his remarks, reflecting on a time before his parents enrolled him in the New York Military Academy when he was 13.
This story took some attendees by surprise.
Country musician Lee Greenwood, famed for “God Bless the U.S.A,” confirmed in an interview that Mr. Trump had emphasized his childhood musical experiences during the Monday meeting. Mr. Greenwood, appointed to the Kennedy Center’s board by Mr. Trump, has collaborated with the president on a Bible adaptation. He noted that they had previously discussed the president’s musical talents.
“He’s incredibly creative and artistic,” Mr. Greenwood affirmed. “I have no doubt that he possesses a keen ear for music.”
When asked about the anecdote, Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, didn’t directly reply but remarked that the president “is a virtuoso and his musical tastes reflect a vivid spectrum of brilliant colors, unlike the often-muted pastels painted by others.” Mr. Cheung added that, considering Mr. Trump’s dual role as president and chairman of the Kennedy Center, “no one is more uniquely positioned to reinvigorate this nation and its rich artistic heritage.”
Mr. Trump has consistently shown a passion for music and theater, having once aspired to become a Broadway producer. During the recent meeting, he surveyed board members on their preferences between “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Les Misérables.” He fondly reminisced about attending the debut of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” in the early 1980s and shared his admiration for performers like Broadway legend Betty Buckley, as well as classic musicals such as “Hello, Dolly!” and “Fiddler on the Roof.”
“There are so many fantastic shows,” he remarked at one juncture, as noted in the recording. “So many fantastic shows.”
Mr. Trump recently moved to remove the previous chairman of the Kennedy Center, financier David M. Rubenstein, along with all board members appointed by the Biden administration last month. He had communicated to associates for weeks his desire to lead the Kennedy Center, which he has occasionally inaccurately referred to as Lincoln Center, the premier arts venue in New York City where he grew up.
While touring the center on Monday, Mr. Trump criticized the currently popular musical “Hamilton”; its producers subsequently canceled a planned tour at the Kennedy Center next year in protest of his takeover of the institution, which had enjoyed bipartisan support for decades. Other artists also withdrew from scheduled performances there.
The Kennedy Center has recognized and honored artists who have publicly criticized Mr. Trump’s actions during his presidency, a point frequently noted by him and his advisors.
The president’s interest in shaping the programming at a leading U.S. arts institution has not surprised some of his long-time aides.
Mr. Trump dedicates considerable time crafting playlists for his rallies, often playing music through an iPad at his clubs, where he takes on the role of disc jockey. Numerous artists have repeatedly requested him to cease using their music.
In his first term, advisors discovered that music served as a calming influence during his moments of anger. On his aircraft—his private jet known as Trump Force One, and the presidential plane, Air Force One—Mr. Trump frequently plays music at such high volumes that it reverberates throughout the cabin.
During a town hall event in Pennsylvania last October, after two attendees required medical assistance, Mr. Trump astonished some aides by halting the event and having his team play music for over half an hour. He stood on stage, swaying and dancing as the music resonated.
In a late-day meeting with aides reviewing his first-term playlist, Mr. Trump had the group scour Spotify for songs from “Tommy,” the Who’s rock opera, for over an hour while searching for a particular track he believed he remembered. However, the aides were unsuccessful in locating it.
