Overview

• President Trump, speaking at a Kennedy Center board dinner on May 19, repeated his unfounded claim that the 2020 election was "rigged."
• He crudely stated that his decision to run in 2024 was motivated by a desire to "shove it up their a**," drawing laughter and applause from attendees.
• Trump emphasized his role in securing the 2028 Olympics for Los Angeles and the 2026 FIFA World CupNorth America during his first term.
• The event marked Trump's leadership of a restructured Kennedy Center board, which he overhauled in February by installing loyalists and naming himself chairman.
• Clips of his unscripted remarks, amplified on official White House social media accounts, have drawn attention to his combative rhetoric and institutional influence.