Sylvester Stallone declines arts role in Trump administration

Actor says he is ‘flattered’ to have been suggested for a high-ranking position

Sylvester Stallone suggested on Sunday that he was not interested in taking a top arts leadership role in the Trump administration, including the position of chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

“I am incredibly flattered to have been suggested to be involved with the National Endowment for the Arts,” he said, in a statement.

Republican allies of US president-elect Donald Trump made overtures to Stallone (70) last week about an arts-related job, according to two Trump advisers.

However, the advisers said that no formal offer had been made and that Trump and Stallone had not met or spoken about the actor joining the administration.

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The National Endowment for the Arts is a federal agency that awards grants to cultural organisations and projects.

It has long been a target of Republican budget-cutters and conservatives who oppose taxpayer support for the arts on ideological grounds.

Republicans have previously tried to eliminate the agency and have criticised it when public money has gone to controversial projects.

Trump’s intentions toward the endowment, as well as its sister agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities, remain unclear.

Helping veterans

Stallone’s statement did not close the door to his playing a role in the new administration.

He said he thought he would be more effective in helping military veterans to “find gainful employment, suitable housing and [the] financial assistance these heroes respectfully deserve”.

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