Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Read more
President Donald Trump’s freshly appointed special envoy for Special Missions, Richard Grenell, who is now acting head of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, has torn into a musician in a bizarre email spat regarding the commander-in-chief’s overhaul and DEI policies.
Guitarist Yasmin Williams, a renowned finger-style guitarist from Virginia, called Grenell’s response “completely unprofessional and rude” after she questioned him about the controversial changes Trump enforced following his takeover of the center.
Taking to Instagram Thursday, she shared the damning string of emails.
“I’ve read a lot of commentary from musician friends and former patrons of the Kennedy Center who are concerned about the Center’s rollback of DEI initiatives, removal of the Social Impact Team, the cancellation of certain shows (Finn and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington specifically), and eliminating board members,” Williams wrote.
Williams drew attention to this in her email, citing the “major negative reaction” the changes had prompted.
Trump previously slammed critically acclaimed sell-out performances such as Hamilton and suggested that other “Broadway hits,” such as Les Misérables, would do “well” for the center.
open image in gallery
Williams stated that musicians “won’t play there until the President leaves office” before posing two questions to Grenell.
“With this provided context, my two questions are: does the President actually care about artists canceling shows at the Kennedy Center?” Williams asked. “What, if anything, has changed about the Kennedy Center regarding hiring practices, performance booking, and staffing?”
Grenell responded with a fiery email that read, “Let me ask you this question: Would you play for Republicans or would you boycott if Republicans came to your show?” signing off the email as “ric.”
Williams defended herself by explaining that she’s performed in “hundreds of shows” regardless of the audience’s political affiliation. “Boycotting anything because Republicans exist and may be at a show of mine makes no sense to me. Is this related to the questions I asked?”
Grenell chimed back with a bizarre explanation for those who had canceled shows in the wake of Trump’s takeover.
“Every single person who canceled a show did so because they couldn’t be in the presence of Republicans. We didn’t fire a single show. We don’t cancel a single show.”
-copy.jpeg)
open image in gallery
He then let off a spiteful attack on the media, saying, “You shouldn’t believe what you read in the newspapers who exist to hate Republicans. Read more. Don’t swallow what the media tells you.
“Don’t be gullible.”
The former U.S. acting intelligence director didn’t stop there.
In a follow-up email, he continued to attack, referencing audience members who jeered Vice President JD Vance last month, writing: “Your people also booed and harassed the vice president who simply wanted to enjoy music with his wife for a night. Who is the intolerant one?”
He then said that he was “too busy to confront [William’s] vapidness” and shut down her comments as “wrong.”
In a long-winded diatribe, he slated the center’s fundraising, calling it “atrocious,,” and said the building had been in disrepair for over two decades.
“The programs are so woke that they haven’t made money. Yes, I cut the DEI ******** because we can’t afford to pay people for fringe and niche programming that the public won’t support.”
He finished his rant by stating it was necessary to make cuts “because we are in debt” and “in order to pay our bills” and sent a further email accusing Williams of playing the “victim” despite contacting him first.
open image in gallery
A stunned Williams responded by calling out his defensive and rude attitude.
“I’m honestly shocked at how unprofessional your emails are,” she replied.
Last month, Grammy-winning musician Cathy Fin, who collaborates with the center, contacted Grenell this year about the shakeups—a first since she began performing there in the 1980s, according to NPR.
“If, as you say, you take ‘diversity and inclusion very seriously,’ then I would be very interested in hearing what action steps you plan to take to make sure that everyone feels welcome and that diverse artistic points of view are experienced at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Arts,” Fink wrote.
Grenell responded in a fiery fashion, writing: “Can you tell me why you believe the Wash post? We didn’t cancel a single show. You are flat wrong.”
Last month, Trump visited the Kennedy Center following his shock takeover of the arts establishment, which he said was in a state of “tremendous disrepair.” He also appointed himself as the center’s chairman and pledged to transform the institution completely.
When he announced the MAGA-style overhaul in mid-February, outraged performers began canceling shows. Donors also questioned their support for the institution, and audience members threatened to boycott, as reported by The Guardian.
The Independent contacted the Kennedy Center and Williams for comment.
