Pop icon Lady Gaga has been tapped to co-chair the Biden administration’s newly reinstated President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
Back in 2017, the PCAH disbanded after the former President, Donald Trump, refrained from condemning the violent white supremacist rally, “Unite the Right” – which left dozens of people injured and one person killed. “We cannot sit idly by, the way that your West Wing advisors have, without speaking out against your words and actions,” the committee members said in a joint statement, (per Politico).
Due to 17 members exiting the board, which included openly gay actor Kal Penn, the 45th president and his administration dissolved the group officially.
After a five-year absence, President Biden signed an executive order in 2022 confirming that the committee would be returning. “The arts, the humanities and museum and library services are essential to the well-being, health, vitality and democracy of our Nation,” the order stated. “It is the policy of my Administration to advance the cultural vitality of the United States by promoting the arts, the humanities, and museum and library services.” On 13 April, President Biden released new information relating to the reestablished committee – including Gaga’s newly appointed role as co-chair alongside acclaimed film producer Bruce Cohen.