Richard Grenell engages in ‘bizarre’ e-mail alternate with musician | EUROtoday

President Donald Trump’s freshly appointed particular envoy for Special Missions, Richard Grenell, who’s now appearing head of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, has torn right into a musician in a weird e-mail spat relating to the commander-in-chief’s overhaul and DEI insurance policies.

Guitarist Yasmin Williams, a famend finger-style guitarist from Virginia, referred to as Grenell’s response “completely unprofessional and rude” after she questioned him concerning the controversial modifications Trump enforced following his takeover of the middle.

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 consideration to this in her e-mail, citing the “major negative reaction” the modifications had prompted.

Trump beforehand slammed critically acclaimed sell-out performances akin to Hamilton and advised that different “Broadway hits,” akin to The miserables, would do “well” for the middle.

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Williams said that musicians “won’t play there until the President leaves office” earlier than posing two inquiries 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 something, has modified concerning the Kennedy Center relating to hiring practices, efficiency reserving, 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.”

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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.

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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’re taking ‘range and inclusion very significantly,’ then I might be very concerned with listening to what motion steps you intend to take to guarantee that everybody feels welcome and that various creative factors of view are skilled on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Arts,” Fink wrote.

Grenell responded in a fiery fashion, writing: “Can you inform me why you consider the Wash submit? We did not cancel a single present. You are flat fallacious.”

Last month, Trump visited the Kennedy Center following his shock takeover of the humanities institution, which he mentioned was in a state of “tremendous disrepair.” He additionally appointed himself as the middle’s chairman and pledged to rework the establishment fully.

When he introduced the MAGA-style overhaul in mid-February, outraged performers started canceling reveals. Donors additionally questioned their assist for the establishment, and viewers members threatened to boycott, as reported by The Guardian.

The Independent contacted the Kennedy Center and Williams for remark.