Trump cares about art, image, and spectacle. They're also central to his political project.

Boston Globe

06-05-2025

Send questions or suggestions to the Starting Point team at
. If you'd like the newsletter sent to your inbox,
.
TODAY'S STARTING POINT
President Trump, a former reality TV star, brander, and builder, cares about aesthetics. 'The Art of the Deal,' his 1987 book, describes
Yet as president, Trump's focus on the aesthetic has reached new heights. His latest forays came over the weekend. On Friday, his Truth Social account posted an AI-generated image depicting
Given his history, Trump's aesthetic focus might seem like just his latest obsession. But there's a case for seeing art, culture, image, and spectacle as central to his political project. More than many past presidents, Trump seems to grasp their political value.
Advertisement
'I think that he understands, especially now in the age of social media, how incredibly powerful art can be,' said Natalie Phillips, an art historian at Ball State University who co-edited '
Advertisement
Here's how Trump's preoccupation with the arts is shaping his presidency so far.
Making a mark
Trump tried to leave an aesthetic legacy in his first term. In 2020, he signed an executive order requiring future government structures to conform to the Romanesque style of the Treasury Department, Capitol, and other classic Washington buildings.
He redoubled those efforts after returning to the White House. 'It was an interest in the first term and is now a priority in the second,' said Victoria Coates, a former Trump national security official who has a PhD in art history. Trump
Trump has taken over the Kennedy Center, Washington's marquee performance venue, by making himself chairman. He also pressured federal agencies that dispense arts and arts education grants to stop funding projects that supposedly promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. After a court blocked that, the administration published a new list of priorities '
Then there are his home renovations. Trump, whose taste often runs toward kitsch, has
Advertisement
Past occupants have left their mark on the White House, but Trump is contemplating even more. He recently told NBC News that he'd like to
The art of politics
Renovating buildings and reshaping federally funded art echo Trump's efforts to brand himself and his politics.
His reality show, 'The Apprentice,' established the reputation of a decisive, competent businessman that still shapes his image. His campaign turned the mugshot in his Georgia criminal case into merchandise. AI-generated memes and
Rebalancing cultural institutions the political left has captured is necessary, Trump allies say. 'The people who are getting the grants, the people who have been getting the funding, the people who have been invited to perform, have been pretty much 100 percent exclusively on the left,' said Coates, the former Trump official who is now at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
Yet the notion of suppressing some art while elevating other kinds has raised censorship concerns. Past politicians —
Advertisement
What's next?
Trump has a penchant for spectacle, frequenting galas and movie sets before becoming president. The US Army
Trump's interventions come at a time when some artists
🧩 1 Down:
POINTS OF INTEREST
Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson outside a federal courthouse in Boston on Monday.
David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
Boston
Tania Fernandes Anderson:
The Boston city councilor
Inside the tent:
Marty Walsh, the former Boston mayor and Biden administration official,
Massachusetts and New England
Karen Read case:
A firefighter-paramedic testified that Read
saying he hoped an investigator's family died.
Smoke signals:
Massachusetts may ban young people from buying tobacco products. Brookline, which passed a similar policy in 2020,
Promoted:
Charles Lieber, the former Harvard scientist who lied to federal agents about his ties to China,
Jennifer, Pedro, and Sandra Oh my:
Meet the
Comeback bid:
Paul LePage, Maine's former governor,
Trump administration
Abortion:
The administration will defend FDA rules that let patients receive abortion pills via telehealth, saying three Republican-controlled states lack standing to sue. (
Signalgate:
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used the messaging app more extensively than previously disclosed, including to discuss an unfolding military operation. (
Novel approach:
The administration plans to give migrants $1,000 if they 'self-deport' using a government app. (
Lawsuits:
19 states
Mixed reviews:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s pledge to find autism's 'cause'
Fact check:
The administration says companies have invested $5 trillion into the US since Trump took office. But some investments were
The Nation
Pulitzer Prizes:
ProPublica won the public service award for stories about pregnant women who died in states that ban abortion. The Globe
Met Gala:
Andre 3000 wore a piano and Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance. See looks from the red carpet. (
BESIDE THE POINT
By Teresa Hanafin
📺
This week's TV:
Season 2 of 'Poker Face,' a David Spade comedy special, the Country Music Awards, a series called 'Octopus!',
🚪
Open house:
How do burglars get in your home? Through unlocked front doors. And for heaven's sake, don't leave a spare key under the mat. (
🍄
Marriage magic:
Researchers say psilocybin, aka magic mushrooms, may benefit mental health. Can it also save a marriage? The Love Letters podcast
👻
Now you see me ...
In 1962, 20-year-old Audrey Backeberg took a bus from Wisconsin to Indiana — and vanished. A dogged detective recently located her. It turns out she disappeared deliberately. And has no regrets. (
Advertisement
💍
The Big Day:
They said they were 'just friends' — but their closest friends
🤲
Don't shake:
A new survey discovered that nearly half of US adults admitted to forgetting or choosing to not wash their hands after visiting germy places like a grocery store or doctor's office. Please tell us who they are. (
👩🏼‍🍳
Star food:
This private chef can't name the Celtics player she cooks for, but she does reveal the
🗺️
Measure up:
Countries aren't really the size they seem on maps. In this cool tool, type in the name of a country (try Greenland), then drag it on top of other countries. Prepare to be shocked. (
🇹🇷
Mother's Day:
Forget the flowers and candy: Treat Mom to a brunch spread based on
Thanks for reading Starting Point.
This newsletter was edited by
❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at
✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can
Advertisement
📬 Delivered Monday through Friday.
Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at