Steve Bannon sat down with Ambassador Rick Grenell, the executive director of the Kennedy Center on Thursday’s WarRoom, and what came through loud and clear was this: the MAGA movement isn’t just about politics in Washington — it’s about taking control of the institutions that shape culture, history, and public narrative.
And yes, that includes places like the Kennedy Center, which the "woke left” long ago hijacked to push their agenda.
QUICK CLIP:
AMB. RIC GRENELL: I would remind Maggie Haberman about this: We have never canceled a single thing at the Kennedy Center.
We balance the budget, welcome everyone, and keep politics out. The only walkouts come from the woke left.@RichardGrenell pic.twitter.com/AvKW7XkMHU
— Bannon’s WarRoom (@Bannons_WarRoom) August 14, 2025
Grenell didn’t mince words. The media meltdown over the Kennedy Center awards, particularly coverage from the New York Times, was predictable. Glittering targets like Gloria Gaynor, a Black music icon, drew unfair attacks from elites more interested in controlling the narrative than celebrating real achievement.
"They don’t like people speaking out of turn,” Grenell said. Meanwhile, the public had been asking for these honorees for years — and under Trump’s guidance, the Kennedy Center finally delivered.
QUICK CLIP:
AMB. RIC GRENELL: Maggie Haberman targeting Gloria Gaynor tells you everything.
The woke left attacks anyone they can’t control; your identity and accomplishments mean nothing unless you submit to their ideology.@RichardGrenell pic.twitter.com/dbf9q2WAfj
— Bannon’s WarRoom (@Bannons_WarRoom) August 14, 2025
Financial responsibility was a key theme. Grenell explained that no shows were canceled under the current administration; instead, programs must pay their way or find sponsors. Productions like Les Misérables exceeded expectations by 30%, proving that common-sense programming and revenue discipline work hand-in-hand. The focus wasn’t partisan; it was about transparency, accountability, and revitalizing a national treasure that had been mismanaged for too long.
Here’s where Bannon’s point hits hard: seizing control of institutions is not symbolic — it’s essential to the populist-MAGA movement. If the left dominates media, culture, and arts, their worldview dominates public perception. By taking the Kennedy Center back, Trump and his team are showing the country that the culture war is winnable. President Trump’s hands-on approach — chairing the board, weighing in on nominations, personally honoring the five awardees — is exactly what Bannon calls "seasoning the institution.” The lesson: you have to engage, take leadership roles, and ensure that America’s cultural institutions reflect the people, not a narrow elite.
Grenell emphasized the collaboration behind the awards: hundreds of nominees considered, multiple committees, and full board involvement. Trump’s personal engagement elevated the awards, giving live recognition to the honorees and sending a signal that the people’s voice matters. "This is the biggest awards ceremony of the season,” Grenell said. And in the process, the Kennedy Center is being restored as a welcoming, inclusive, and financially responsible institution.
The call to action is clear. Bannon and Grenell are sending a message to every MAGA supporter: don’t just vote — participate. Step up in your local schools, arts programs, media outlets, and community institutions. Influence them, support them, and make sure they serve the American people, not a self-selected elite.
The Kennedy Center awards aren’t just a celebration of arts — they’re a blueprint for cultural victory. President Trump’s involvement proves that populist energy can reshape America’s institutions. The MAGA movement isn’t waiting for permission; it’s taking action. And if you want to be part of it, now is the time to engage, influence, and claim the spaces that define the narrative of our nation.
For fuller context, watch this entire WarRoom segment:
