MOSCOW, July 14. /TASS/. American producer and president of Studio Mao, Stephen Mao, told TASS in an interview why US President Donald Trump chose Chairman of the Commission of Fine Arts Rodney Mims Cook Jr. as the head of the delegation to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
"Rodney is a personal friend of the president. And he has the president's trust. They've known each other for many years. And Donald Trump is somebody whose trust is very important for him. He appointed Rodney as the chairman of the Commission of Fine Arts. So the Commission of Fine Arts is an organization that is responsible for all the art and monuments in the United States. So effectively, although we don't have this title, Minister of Culture in the United States, Rodney Cook is the Minister of Culture," he noted.
Mao recalled that Cook Jr. is currently also responsible for the new Ballroom in the White House and the Grand Triumphal Arch in Washington, whose construction is timed to coincide with the celebration of the country's 250th anniversary. "I would say that Rodney, this is just my guess, but I think he's meeting with the president at least four times a month. So he has the president's attention," the producer stated.
